The 

Ledionaries 


HENRY  SCOTT  CLARK 


\ 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


The  Legionaries 


EVERY  WORD  THEY  SPOKE,  THOUGH  THEIR  VOICES  WERE  AT 
FIRST  LOW,  CAME  TO   MY  EARS   DISTINCTLY,     page  184. 


The  Legion 


BY 


HENRY  SCOTT  CLARK 

Presented  to  the  Miners  Library  of  fa 
Milan,  Mo,  Coal  Company  by  J,  A.  Young,  W4. 


A  STORY  OF 
THE  GREAT  RAID 


THIRD  EDITION. 


Illustrated 


& 

VI 

INDIANAPOLIS,  INDIANA 

TBtf 

THE  BOWEN-MERRILL  COMPANY1^ 

PUBLISHERS 


Presented  to  the  Miners  Library  of  the 
Milan,  Mo*  Coal  Company  by  J«  A*  Young, 


COPYRIGHT  1899 

THE  BOWEN-MERRILL  COMPANY 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


Bnunworth,  Munn  &  Barber. 

Printers  and  Bookl.inders. 

16  Naisau  Sueet,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


PS 


1  *    *    *    sons  of  the  selfsame  race 
And  blood  of  the  selfsame  clan, 
Let  us  speak  with  each  other,  face  to  face, 
And  answer  as  man  to  man, 

And  loyally  love  and  trust  each  other  as  none  but 
free  men  can." 


(ix) 

1661483 


Contents 
i 


WHAT  OF  VIRGINIA 


II 

THE  MONSTER  WAR  15 

III 
THE  PLACARD  ON  THE  POST  30 

IV 
GIVE  ME  ROAD,  SIRS  46 

V 

THE  THIRD  ONE  AT  MANDRELL'S  63 

VI 
WITH  FACE  TOWARD  THE  SOUTH  83 

VII 
CAPTAIN  BURKLEY'S  GENTLEMEN  92 

VIII 
WITH  THE  GREAT  RAIDER  106 

IX 

ON  BRANDENBURG  HEIGHTS  124 

(xi) 


xii  Contents 

x 

HER  BROTHER'S  ACCUSER  145 

XI 

THE  SHOOTING  OF  BELLRAY  157 

XII 
THE  GARB  OF  A  REBEL  176 

XIII 
THE  END  OF  THE  HORSE-BUYER  199 

XIV 
THROUGH  THE  TUNNELS  218 

XV 
A  DISCREDITED  SPY  233 

XVI 
THE  DUEL  IN  THE  CAVE  248 

XVII 
WORD  BY  THE  REFUGEE  263 

XVIII 
AND  SOME  DAY —  279 

.      XIX 
THE  COMING  OF  THE  PROVOST  294 

XX 

THE  RIDE  OF  THE  THREE  THOUSAND  302 


Contents  xiii 

XXI 

THE  HELP  OF  A  STRONG  MAN  313 

XXII 
CORPORAL  NEFFITT  326 

XXIII 
A  MESSAGE  FROM  THE  GENERAL  340 

XXIV 
FRIENDS  ON  THE  WALL  357 

XXV 
THE  ESCAPE  369 

XXVI 
THE  RETURN  OF  REASON  377 


The  Legionaries 


The  Legionaries 

CHAPTER  I 

WHAT    OF   VIRGINIA 

AT  middle  life  my  father  found  himself  a  poor 
man — a  poor  country  gentleman.  It  is  not  such 
a  great  misfortune  to  be  a  poor  city  gentleman, 
for  the  latter  is  only  one  of  many  of  all  sorts  and 
conditions.  He  may  easily  lose  himself  in  the 
multitude,  or,  if  he  dislike  obscurity,  he  may 
conceal  from  the  public  gaze  the  slenderness  of 
his  purse  and  affect  an  appearance  not  justified  by 
his  fortune.  But  in  the  country  one's  goings  in 
and  comings  out,  if  in  any  sense  or  degree  out  of 
the  common  way,  are  likely  to  attract  attention 
and  provoke  comment  of  the  kind  one  least  de 
sires. 

In  the  Virginia  county  in  which  my  father 
was  born  and  had  spent  nearly  all  his  life,  he  was 
surrounded  by  old  and  well-to-do  families  with 
whom  and  their  ancestors  he  and  his  ancestors  had 

(o 


2  The  Legionaries 

mingled  for  many  generations.  They  knew  the 
extent  of  his  estate  to  the  acre,  and  could  compute 
his  income  with  more  than  tolerable  accuracy.  If 
he  was  compelled  to  part  with  a  portion  of  the 
one  or  suffered  a  diminution  of  the  other  they 
were  certain  to  know  it,  and  likewise  the  particular 
nature  of  the  adversity  that  moved  to  the  sacrifice. 

So,  at  least,  my  father  found  it  when  a  mis 
taken  confidence  in  others  led  to  his  financial 
undoing.  Usually  such  a  blow  as  the  loss  of  for 
tune  is  more  stunning  when  it  is  received  than  at 
any  time  afterward,  but  in  his  case  it  was  not 
that  way.  Not  until  he  began  to  feel  how  surely 
the  loss  of  money  carried  with  it  deprivation,  in 
some  measure,  of  other  things  that  he  valued 
more  highly  than  money  did  he  fully  understand 
the  extent  of  the  disaster  that  had  overtaken  him. 
Being  a  proud  man  and  perhaps  supersensi- 
tive,  he  was  cut  to  the  heart  when  the  realization 
came  that  he  could  no  longer  hold  up  his  head 
with  the  highest.  True,  he  had  not  lost  all.  A 
remnant  of  his  once  very  considerable  estate  was 
left,  but  it  was  not  sufficient  to  maintain  his  es 
tablishment  on  terms  of  equality  with  the  best. 
Our  family  continued  to  be  held  in  regard,  for  it 
was — let  me  say  it — eminently  respectable,  but 
in  my  father's  view  our  very  respectability  only 
served  to  aggravate  the  evils  of  our  condition. 

If  we  had  been  content  to  live  as  many  do,  and 
to  drift  along  from  day  to  day,  not  caring  for  the 


What  of  Virginia  3 

morrow,  overlooking  slights  and  forgetting  past 
things,  it  would  have  been  easier  for  us.  Prob 
ably  I  should  not  say  us,  for  I  was  not  much  at 
home  during  those  last  melancholy  days  in  Vir 
ginia,  being  in  the  military  school  at  West  Point, 
where  the  government  was  doing  what  it  could  to 
fit  me  for  a  soldier.  I  did  not  know  all  that  was 
going  on  nor  all  that  my  father  felt,  but  his  letters 
to  me  betrayed  a  very  uncheerful  spirit.  His  dis 
satisfaction,  indeed,  constantly  augmented,  and 
he  became  possessed  of  a  fancy  that  there  was  a 
lack  of  the  old  courteous  attention  from  those 
about  him.  Finally  a  letter  came  telling  me  that 
he  had  accepted  an  appointment  to  office  in 
Washington — this  was  in  the  early  days  of  Presi 
dent  Buchanan's  administration — and  that  he  and 
my  mother  would  presently  proceed  to  the  Capi 
tal,  which  they  very  soon  did. 

The  appointment  was  accepted  as  an  honorable 
means  of  getting  away  from  the  old  scenes,  upon 
which  such  a  different  face  had  been  put  by  his 
changed  condition,  and,  while  fairly  lucrative, 
proved  irksome.  It  was  not  long  until  he  was 
ready  to  relinquish  it.  Could  he  have  re 
sumed  his  old  place  he  would  gladly  have  re 
turned  to  Virginia.  As  that  could  not  be,  he  was 
looking  around,  he  wrote  me.  For  one  situated 
as  he  was  the  South  then  afforded  few  opportuni 
ties  for  financial  recuperation,  even  if  there  were 


4  The  Legionaries 

ambition  to  try;  this  ambition  he  had  not,  hav 
ing  lost  his  spirit  and  being  none  too  strong. 

The  storm  which  a  few  years  later  broke  with 
such  fury  was  brewing.  Its  mutterings  could  be 
heard  by  any  man  who  would  open  his  ears  and 
listen.  It  was  despite  this  fact  and  not  because 
of  it  that  he  took  a  very  unexpected  step,  in 
which  no  doubt  he  was  encouraged  by  my  mother 
who,  in  addition  to  her  most  lovable  qualities, 
was  possessed  of  a  strong  will  and  great  self- 
reliance.  This  was  no  less  than  a  removal,  with 
all  his  belongings,  to  Indiana.  However  influ 
ential  my  mother  may  have  been  in  inducing  this, 
at  the  time,  extraordinary  change  of  residence,  she 
was  not  wholly  responsible  for  it.  Roger  Bell- 
ray  had  much  to  do  with  it,  but  I  have  since 
come  to  believe  that  my  mother,  with  her  wom 
an's  intuition,  along  with  unusual  foresight,  had 
prescience  of  the  terrible  events  that  were  to  hap 
pen  in  Virginia  and  desired  to  get  far  away  from 
the  soil  that  was  so  soon  to  be  drenched  with 
blood. 

A  bachelor,  a  man  of  affairs,  a  gentleman 
farmer  and  still  young — such  and  more  was 
Roger  Bellray.  Having  means  and  leisure,  as 
well  as  natural  inclination,  he  had  given  a  good 
deal  of  attention  to  politics — not,  however,  as  an 
office-seeker  or  office-holder,  for  he  valued  too 
highly  the  freedom  and  independence  of  private 
citizenship  to  exchange  them  for  the  cares  of 


What  of  Virginia  5 

place.  He  had  spent  some  winters  in  Washington 
as  a  looker-on,  interested  in  the  workings  of  the 
complicated  government  machinery.  He  met  and 
greatly  impressed  my  discouraged  father  by  his 
vigorous  and  magnetic  personality.  Their  ac 
quaintance  ripened  into  a  sudden  and  lasting 
friendship. 

To  him  my  father  confided  his  determination 
to  retire  to  some  quiet  country  place  where  he 
could  busy  himself  with  small  affairs  without  dis 
turbance.  As  it  happened,  the  estate  adjoining 
Bellray's  was  then  on  the  market  at  a  price  well 
within  the  means  still  at  my  father's  command. 
In  the  spring  he  went  West,  and  finding  the  place 
satisfactory,  or  at  least  as  nearly  satisfactory  as 
any  could  be  that  did  not  equal  that  which  he  had 
been  forced  to  relinquish,  he  bought  it.  I  was 
advisedof  this  contemplated  purchase,  but  while 
it  seemed  to  me  a  poor  business,  there  was  no 
occasion  for  me  to  set  up  my  opinion  in  oppo 
sition  to  it. 

The  few  years,  as  it  befell,  that  yet  re 
mained  to  him  were  passed  in  peace,  if  not  in 
contentment.  More  by  the  thrifty  management 
of  my  mother,  acting  under  the  advice  of  Bellray, 
than  by  any  business  skill  of  his  own,  his  new 
possessions  yielded  returns  sufficient  to  maintain 
a  respectable  establishment  without  trenching 
upon  the  fund  which  had  been  set  aside  to  send 


6  The  Legionaries 

me  abroad  after  my  graduation,  as  every  male 
Trenham  had  been  sent  for  a  hundred  years. 

Having  a  taste  for  martial  things,  I  was, 
through  the  influence  of  the  American  minister, 
which  we  were  yet  able  to  invoke,  admitted  as  a 
student  in  a  French  military  institute,  and  for  two 
years  devoted  myself  assiduously  to  the  task  of 
receiving  instruction.  I  was  rather  a  serious- 
minded  young  man  and  eschewed  most  of  the 
follies  to  which  many  of  those  about  me  were  ad 
dicted.  While  in  the  main  my  stay  in  the  insti 
tute  was  not  unpleasant,  I  was,  as  a  foreigner, 
who  was  there  merely  by  the  grace  of  the  French 
government,  subjected  to  many  annoyances. 

At  first  I  was  tolerated  as  a  semi-barbarian 
and  curiosity,  but  when  it  was  found  that  I  was 
disposed  to  insist  upon  respectful  treatment,  al 
though  I  did  so  as  mildly  as  the  circumstances 
would  allow,  I  met  with  some  difficulty  at  the 
hands  of  a  few  of  the  most  violently  inclined 
young  Frenchmen.  The  result  was  that  I  was 
forced  into  an  encounter  with  a  smart  yet  reckless 
fellow  who  was  put  forward  as  the  champion  of 
those  who  had  determined  to  make  me  win  my 
spurs. 

Swordsmanship  was  taught  there,  as  in  all 
high  class  institutions  of  the  kind,  and  many  of 
the  students  had  acquired  a  degree  of  expertness 
that  would  have  been  creditable  even  in  those 
long-gone  times  when  skill  at  fencing  was  the  first 


What  of  Virginia  7 

requirement  of  a  gentleman.  Fortunately  for  me 
— not  only  then  but  later — I  knew  something  of 
the  art.  I  had  set  out  early  to  acquire  some 
knowledge  of  the  uses  of  the  weapon  and  be 
came  greatly  interested  in  the  pursuit.  The  fenc 
ing  master  asserted  that  I  had  a  quickness  of  eye 
and  a  steadiness  of  nerve  without  which  the 
sword  was  as  useless  as  a  walking  stick.  Thus 
encouraged,  and  finding  that  the  exercise  was 
invigorating  and  healthful,  I  continued  it  with 
great  spirit,  not  unmixed  with  a  little  pride. 

So  when  I  was  given  to  understand  by  my 
friends  in  the  institute  that  my  peace,  and  my 
standing  in  the  eyes  of  my  fellows,  demanded 
that  I  should  not  ignore  the  challenge  of  the  fiery 
Venault,  I  accepted  it.  Although  not  really  a 
bad  fellow  at  heart,  Venault  had  a  good  many 
traits  of  the  bully  and  had  terrorized  half  the 
school  into  submission  to  his  domination.  Not  a 
few  of  them  desired  to  see  him  humiliated ;  and 
while  they  did  not  believe  in  my  ability  to  accom 
plish  his  overthrow,  they  were  willing  enough  that 
I  should  try. 

Their  ideas  of  America  were  dim  and  uncer 
tain.  In  the  minds  of  most  of  them  it  was 
merely  a  far-away  land  which  their  own  country 
had  been  principally  instrumental  in  wresting 
from  the  hated  English,  a  land  where  men  ac 
quired  wealth  by  some  species  of  magic  and  re 
turned  to  civilized  countries  to  enjoy  it.  I  did 


8  The  Legionaries 

what  I  could  to  give  them  a  more  favorable  un 
derstanding,  but  I  fear  that  I  really  accomplished 
little  before  my  trouble  with  Paul  Venault,  and 
not  greatly  more  afterward. 

The  morning  came  for  our  meeting.  Dueling 
was,  of  course,  prohibited,  but  under  the  guise  of 
a  fencing  bout,  in  which,  if  a  wound  was  received, 
it  was  proclaimed  to  be  an  accident,  it  was  never 
theless  carried  on  in  very  genuine  fashion.  My 
opponent  appeared  on  the  ground  fresh  and  con 
fident,  his  young  mustachios  daintily  waxed  and 
twisted,  and  his  handsome  eyes  lively  with  the 
excitement  of  the  occasion.  A  fine  specimen  of 
the  dashing,  volatile  Latin  was  Paul  Venault.  In 
size  and  strength  we  were  a  fair  match.  He  was 
nearly,  if  not  quite,  six  feet  in  height,  sinewy, 
active  and  alert.  What  a  swordsman  he  would 
have  made  had  it  not  been  for  his  hot  head  and 
his  proneness  always  to  hold  an  opponent  too 
cheaply ! 

We  stripped  for  the  encounter  and  took  our 
positions.  Venault  smiled  at  first  somewhat  dis 
dainfully,  but  at  the  onset  he  replaced  the  smile 
with  a  fierce  look  which  was  meant  to  overawe 
me,  as  I  have  no  doubt  it  had  overawed  others. 
Fortunately  for  me,  I  very  well  realized  that  it  was 
not  fierce  looks  that  won  battles  of  this  sort,  but 
good,  steady  sword-play.  Much  to  the  surprise 
of  all  and  to  the  deep  humiliation  of  my  opponent, 
the  contest  went  in  my  favor  more  easily  than  I 


What  of  Virginia  9 

had  believed  it  would,  and  Venault  was  retired 
with  a  wound  in  his  arm. 

He  had  the  manliness  to  congratulate  me  on 
my  victory,  but  the  heartiness  of  the  acknowledg 
ment  was  marred  by  his  professed  belief  that  the 
thrust  which  had  disabled  him  was  directed  by 
chance.  If  this  afforded  him  consolation  I  was 
not  the  one  to  deprive  him  of  it,  though  I  knew 
the  contrary  to  be  the  fact.  After  this  I  got 
along  fairly  well  and  received  from  none  more  con 
siderate  treatment  than  from  Venault. 

I  have  written  of  this  experience  in  no  spirit  of 
vaunting,  but  because  Paul  came  once  again  into 
my  life  on  a  very  different  field,  and  also  because 
it  is  the  easiest  way  to  explain  how  I  was  able  to 
bear  myself  with  credit  in  a  more  serious  encoun 
ter  under  most  unusual  circumstances. 

Only  meager  information  came  to  me  as  to  what 
was  happening  at  home.  My  father  had  written 
of  the  great  contest  for  the  presidency  then  going 
on  with  a  heat  and  virulence  of  faction  never  be 
fore  known,  and  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  Lin 
coln's  success  meant  the  attempted  secession  from 
the  Union  of  the  southern  states  and  then  war  be 
tween  the  sections.  My  ideas  as  to  the  causes  of 
the  trouble  were,  I  fancy,  at  that  time  hazy  and 
inaccurate.  For  two  years  I  had  been  abroad, 
giving  more  heed  to  present  concerns  than  to 
thoughts  of  future  strife  between  my  countrymen. 

In  a  general  way  I  knew  that  there  had  been 


io  The  Legionaries 

bitter  sectional  contention  at  home  in  which  the 
question  of  slavery  was  in  some  way  involved — 
for  there  had  been  trouble  at  West  Point  between 
the  northern  and  southern  lads — but  I  had  not 
dreamed  that  the  conditions  were  so  acute  as  my 
father's  letters  indicated.  As  a  southerner  born 
my  sympathies  were  with  the  South,  so  quick  are 
we  to  believe  that  our  own  people  must  be  right 
and  everybody  else  wrong.  I  eagerly  awaited 
further  intelligence,  which  had  to  come  by  the 
slow  process  of  the  mails  carried  by  the  not  too 
rapid  steamers  which  then  traversed  the  Atlantic. 

Late  in  December  a  letter  reached  me,  written 
by  my  mother,  conveying  the  serious  tidings 
that  my  father's  health,  which  long  had  been  del 
icate,  had  taken  a  sudden  turn  for  the  worse  and 
she  had  grave  fears  for  his  life.  She  urged  me 
to  return  home  immediately,  and  enclosed  money 
for  my  journey.  A  line  added  at  the  bottom  of 
the  last  page,  as  if  an  afterthought,  told  me  that 
Lincoln  had  been  elected  to  the  presidency. 
Only  the  bare  fact  was  stated,  without  comment, 
and  thus  I  had  no  confirmation  or  otherwise  of 
my  father's  misgivings ;  but  she  took  little  inter 
est  in  politics  at  best,  and  was  thinking  then,  no 
doubt,  only  of  her  husband's  state. 

Settling  my  few  affairs  as  fast  as  possible,  I  set 
out  for  Paris  to  get  my  passports.  From  the 
papers  there,  which  usually  devoted  but  little  at 
tention  to  the  affairs  of  America,  I  learned  that  a 


What  of  Virginia  n 

crisis  was  thought  to  be  approaching  in  the  United 
States  which  threatened  the  integrity  of  the  re 
public.  This,  if  well  founded,  would  be  good 
news  to  Louis  Napoleon,  to  whom  republics,  since 
the  time  of  his  own  treachery  to  France,  were  a 
constantly  menacing  nightmare.  A  January  voy 
age  across  the  Atlantic  was  not  what  I  would 
have  chosen,  but  there  was  no  alternative.  The 
tone  of  my  mother's  letter  convinced  me  that 
there  should  be  no  avoidable  delay.  It  was  a  ter 
rible  journey  through  gales,  driving  rains,  sleet 
and  snow,  but  it  was  accomplished  at  last. 

On  arriving  in  New  York,  I  found,  during  my 
few  hours  of  necessary  detention,  that  everybody 
was  in  a  state  of  feverish  excitement.  All  around 
could  be  heard  the  shouts  of  the  newspaper  ven 
ders,  crying  that  another  state  had  seceded  from 
the  Union.  This,  I  soon  learned,  was  Georgia, 
the  fifth  to  take  that  momentous  and,  as  it  proved, 
almost  fatal  step.  There  were  plenty  about  to 
enlighten  me  as  to  what  had  been  done,  as  well  as 
to  what  was  being  done.  Without  doubt  the 
country  was  on  the  verge  of  war.  National  prop 
erty  in  all  the  seceding  states  had  been  seized, 
including  arsenals  and  forts  and  the  navy-yard  at 
Pensacola.  The  authorities  at  Washington  were 
bitterly  assailed  for  not  putting  forth  a  strong 
hand  and  suppressing  the  insurrection  in  its  in- 
cipiency,  and  were  wildly  accused  of  being  in 
league  with  treason. 


12  The  Legionaries 

"What  of  Virginia?"  I  asked  later  of  a  by 
stander  at  the  railway  station. 

"Virginia  is  still  true,  but  she  is  expected  to 
go  the  way  of  the  others,"  he  answered,  gloom 
ily.  "You  are  of  the  North,  I  suppose?" 

"lama  Virginian,"  said  I,  proudly,  and  added, 
"but  just  returned  from  France." 

He  looked  about  him  apprehensively,  and 
then,  coming  a  little  nearer,  so  as  not  to  be  over 
heard,  he  said:  "You  are  safer  than  I,  yet,  for 
•I  am  a  South  Carolinian,  and  my  state  has  led 
the  procession  out  of  the  Union,"  saying  which 
he  walked  quickly  away  from  me  and  was  lost  to 
my  view  in  the  crowd. 

Safer !  So  it  had  already  become  a  question  of 
personal  danger.  I  had  told  him  that  I  was  a 
Virginian,  which  was  the  truth,  yet  my  home  was 
in  Indiana.  The  anomalous  position  in  which  I 
was  placed  had  barely  occurred  to  me  before,  but 
it  struck  me  now  with  full  force.  Beyond  any 
question  at  all  Indiana  would  standby  the  Union. 
My  father  had  expatriated  himself  from  Virginia, 
but  had  I?  Except  the  short  period  of  three 
months  that  I  had  spent  with  my  parents  just 
prior  to  going  abroad  I  had  never  been  in  the 
state  to  which  they  had  removed.  I  was  worried 
and  perplexed.  If  war  came  I  ought  to  bear  a 
part.  Otherwise,  why  had  I  been  educated  in 
soldier  craft? 

Two  days  of  continuous  travel  were  required  to 


What  of  Virginia  13 

make  the  trip  from  New  York  to  the  old  capital 
town  of  Corydon,  a  few  miles  outside  of  which, 
to  the  northward,  lay  my  father's  new  posses 
sions.  My  route  took  me  through  a  country  in 
tensely  hostile  to  the  South.  The  critical  condi 
tion  of  the  republic  was  almost  the  sole  topic  of 
conversation  among  my  constantly  changing  fel 
low-passengers.  A  few  argued  in  favor  of  letting 
the  southern  states  go,  declaring  that  it  would 
be  a  good  riddance,  but  by  far  the  greater  num 
ber  held  that  the  Union  should  be  preserved  at 
all  hazards.  Into  these  arguments  I  dj-d  not  ob 
trude,  and  I  noticed  that  there  were  <*wrs  who, 
like  myself,  did  not  deem  it  expedient  t$:^>ut  for 
ward  their  opinions,  and,  who,  when  now  and  then 
appealed  to,  remained  steadily  non-committal. 

It  must  not  be  understood  that  these  things, 
absorbing  as  they  were,  engrossed  all  of  my 
thoughts.  I  was  deeply  concerned  about  my 
father,  always  kind  and  generous,  who  had 
poured  out  upon  me,  as  the  only  child,  a  full 
measure  of  affection.  I  had  been  absent  a  long 
time,  and  how  should  I  find  him?  And  my  lov 
ing  mother,  who  had  laid  everything  at  my  feet 
since  that  day,  now  twenty-two  years  gone,  when 
I  first  came  helpless  into  her  arms,  how  was  she? 

There  came  into  my  mind,  too,  a  vision  of  an 
other — a  spirited  little  maid  of  glorious  prom 
ise —  Kate,  Roger  Bellray's  young  sister.  She 
must  be  nearly  eighteen  by  now,  and  if  the  flower 


14  The  Legionaries 

was  as  beautiful  as  the  bud — ah !  I  was  young ; 
how  should  I  find  Kate  Bellray? 

Finally  I  reached  the  end  of  my  travel  by  rail 
at  Jeffersonville,  from  which  point  I  took  stage  for 
Corydon,  something  more  than  twenty  miles 
away,  arriving  there  late  in  the  afternoon  of  a  day 
of  clear  sky  and  sharp  north  wind.  Hastily  par 
taking  of  a  little  refreshment,  I  entered  the  con 
veyance  that  I  had  ordered  to  carry  me  over  the 
few  miles  yet  separating  me  from  my  father's 
house,  leaving  my  baggage  to  follow  on  the  mor 
row.  Darkness  had  set  in  by  the  time  we  drew 
rein  in  front  of  the  wide  porch  of  southern  fash 
ion,  from  which  my  mother  waved  her  hand  in 
farewell  on  that  September  day  when  I  started  on 
the  journey  from  which  I  was  now  returning. 
How  should  I  find  them?  The  rooms  were  alight 
down  stairs.  Jumping  out  I  discharged  the  driver, 
hastened  toward  the  house,  up  the  steps  and  gave 
the  old-fashioned  bell  a  pull  that  could  have  been 
heard  from  garret  to  cellar.  The  door  was 
opened  presently  by  the  well-sremembered  black 
servant  Martha,  a  slave  in  Virginia,  but  here  free, 
yet  who  clung  to  my  family  closer  than  if  she 
were  still  bond. 

"Marse  John!"  she  exclaimed,  throwing  up 
her  hands  as  if  I  were  an  apparition. 

And  then  the  good  soul  began  to  cry  and  buried 
her  face  in  her  gingham  apron.  I  understood  very 
well  from  this  that  my  father  was  dead . 


CHAPTER  II 

THE   MONSTER   WAR 

MY  father's  death,  of  which  I  was  not  wholly 
unprepared  to  hear,  had  occurred  two  weeks  be 
fore  my  arrival.  It  was  a  great  shock  to  me  and 
an  overwhelming  grief  to  my  mother,  but  my 
presence  went  far  to  comfort  her.  She  now 
leaned  upon  me  in  all  things,  and  sought  advice 
which  I  was  poorly  prepared  to  give.  But  I 
went  to  work  diligently  to  acquire  a  knowledge 
of  our  affairs  and  found  them  to  be  in  good  con 
dition  ;  and  yet  how  our  present  position  contrast 
ed  with  that  from  which  we  had  been  deposed  ! — 
a  bare  three  hundred  acres  as  against  as  many 
thousands,  a  modest,  but  roomy  and  comfort 
able  house  as  against  the  imposing  mansion 
within  the  walls  of  which  generations  of  Tren- 
hams  had  been  born,  and  where  they  had  laughed, 
and  wept,  and  lived,  and  died.  Where  happy 
slaves  in  that  still  recent  time  gave  willing  serv 
ice,  now  four  or  five  paid  servants  did  all  the 
work  of  house  and  farm.  Father  had  never  be 
come  reconciled  to  the  change,  but  mother,  pos 
sessing  a  more  elastic  temperament  and  a  cheer- 
(15) 


1 6  The  Legionaries 

fulness  of  disposition  not  easily  shaken,  accepted 
it  without  a  murmur.  Only  on  his  account  and 
mine  was  she  ever  known  to  express  a  regret, 
and  this,  being  buoyant  and  hopeful,  I  labored  to 
dispel  so  far  as  it  concerned  myself. 

We  were  a  litttle  removed  from  direct  commu 
nication  with  the  world,  but  by  means  of  the 
Louisville  newspapers  were  kept  tolerably  in 
formed  as  to  what  was  going  on.  The  new  pres 
ident  was  inaugurated  in  March.  His  address 
on  that  occasion,  while  intended  to  be  pacific, 
was  unsatisfactory  to  the  South  and  was  looked 
upon  by  the  leading  secessionists  as  menacing. 
Representatives  of  the  seceding  states  met  and 
agreed  upon  a  plan  of  confederation.  Both  sides 
began  to  arm,  and  those  conservative  people 
in  both  sections — there  were  many  of  them — 
who  had  hoped  for  peace,  lost  heart.  And  well 
they  might,  as  things  went  from  bad  to  worse 
with  each  passing  day.  At  last,  about  the  mid 
dle  of  April,  came  that  direful  news  from  Charles 
ton  harbor,  that  open  defiance  of  the  national 
government  which  constituted  an  act  of  war.  It 
was  so  accepted  everywhere,  and  preparations 
for  that  miserable,  unhappy  family  conflict,  so 
long  dreaded,  and  now,  thank  God,  so  long  past 
and  forgiven,  were  redoubled. 

I  had  but  slight  acquaintance  in  our  locality, 
and  aside  from  occasional  trips  to  Corydon,  now 
and  then  extended  to  Louisville,  I  stayed  mostly  at 


The  Monster  War  17 

home,  doing  what  I  could  to  mitigate  my  mother's 
sorrow,  and  to  aid  in  the  management  of  her  affairs. 
Roger  Bellray,  who  had  gone  to  Washington,  as 
was  his  custom,  and  on  to  New  England,  as  he  told 
me,  to  visit  his  sister  who  was  there  in  school,  came 
home  a  few  weeks  after  the  inauguration.  Until 
then  I  had  not  seen  him  since  my  return.  He 
was  gloomy  and  cast  down,  and  told  me  then 
that  all  efforts  toward  compromising  the  issue 
between  the  sections  had  come  to  naught.  He 
blamed  the  hot-heads  north  and  south  for  the 
threatened  disruption  of  the  Union,  which  he  de 
plored  as  a  calamity,  but  which,  he  insisted, 
there  was  no  constitutional  power  to  prevent. 
The  secession  of  the  southern  states  he  held  to 
be  a  great  political  blunder,  but  to  restrain  them 
by  force  of  arms  would  be  a  crime.  In  his  view 
each  of  the  states  of  the  Union  was  sovereign, 
and  was  as  free  to  withdraw  its  consent  to  a  con 
tinuation  of  the  compact  into  which  it  had  en 
tered  as  it  had  been  in  the  first  instance  to  give  it. 

"We  are  going  to  the  devil,"  he  said  finally, 
"and  when  the  crash  comes,  as  it  will  come,  every 
man  must  look  out  for  himself." 

The  constitutional  phases  of  the  question  did 
not  interest  me,  and  so  I  did  not  allow  myself  to 
be  troubled  by  them.  What  I  saw  was  that  that 
portion  of  the  country  with  which  my  family  so 
long  had  been  identified  was  arraying  itself  against 
2 — LEGIONARIES. 


1 8  The  Legionaries 

that  other  portion  which  my  father,  mild  man  as 
he  was,  always  asserted  had  been  guilty  of  un 
just  encroachments.  Virginia  did  not  join  the 
Confederacy  at  once,  but  did  so  in  May,  and  not 
long  afterward  the  people  of  the  South  looked 
over  the  border  toward  the  people  of  the  North, 
and  the  faces  of  both  were  as  flint.  Presently 
they  clashed  and  struck  fire.  Gods!  beneath  the 
flint  there  was  blood  and  it  ran  red  and  fast. 

My  graduation  from  the  academy  at  West  Point 
entitled  me  to  a  lieutenant's  commission,  but  this 
I  had  resigned  in  order  to  continue  my  studies 
abroad,  and  was  thus  free  to  take  such  course 
as  I  saw  fit.  Many  officers  of  southern  birth  had 
already  sent  in  their  resignations  from  the  army 
and  hurried  back  to  their  states  to  accept  com 
mands  in  the  forces  of  the  new  Confederacy.  No 
doubt  I  should  have  followed  their  example  had 
not  my  previous  action  made  such  a  step  unneces 
sary ;  but  I  was  glad  then,  and  am  now,  that  I  was 
not  put  to  such  a  choice. 

What  should  I  do  ?  I  had  grown  up  with  my 
full  share  of  prejudices  against  the  North,  which 
my  four  years  at  West  Point  had  not  removed. 
The  northern  and  southern  youths  were,  as  I 
have  said,  at  arm's  length  during  the  last  half  of 
my  stay  at  the  academy,  and  quarrels  led  in  sev 
eral  instances  to  personal  collisions,  in  which 
each  contestant  was  given  satisfactory  proof  of 
the  metal  of  his  opponent.  In  all  affairs  of  this 


The  Monster  War  19 

kind  that  came  under  my  observation,  I  enacted 
the  ungrateful  and  always  difficult  role  of  peace 
maker  whenever  possible.  In  one  unfortunate 
instance  I  not  only  had  my  trouble  for  my  pains, 
but  later  was  compelled  to  defend  myself  against 
a  classmate  from  Georgia,  who  imagined  that  I 
had  offended  him.  But  for  the  most  part  I  sided 
with  my  fellow-southerners  in  the  imperfect  argu 
ments  by  which  the  cadets  sought  with  feeble  suc 
cess  to  convince  each  other  of  error. 

My  stay  abroad  had  done  much  to  nationalize 
my  feelings,  and  heaven  knows  that  had  it  not 
been  for  that  ill-starred  and  deplorable  division, 
the  iniquity  of  which  I  did  not  see  until  long 
afterward,  I  should  have  returned  to  America 
with  an  intensified  love  of  my  native  land.  But 
in  my  youthful  eyes  then  Virginia  was  my  native 
land  more  surely  than  the  wide  republic  of  united 
commonwealths,  and  the  new  home  of  my  pa 
rents  was  scarcely  better  than  alien  territory.  In 
deed,  as  I  viewed  it,  it  was  alien  in  truth  from 
the  moment  Virginia  adopted  the  ordinance  of 
separation,  and  cast  her  fortunes  with  the  other 
seceding  states.  Try  as  I  would,  and  did,  for 
my  mother's  sake,  to  think  otherwise,  I  could  not 
rise  above  the  feeling  that  I  was  merely  a  so- 
journer  in  Indiana,  with  no  tie  to  bind  me  there 
save  that  of  filial  duty  to  a  loved  one  so  newly 
and  sorely  bereft. 

As  the  war  progressed,   I  became  more   and 


2O  The  Legionaries 

more  restless,  and  with  the  unreckoning  ardor  of 
youth  longed  to  throw  myself  into  the  conflict. 
To  remove  one  obstacle  I  tried  to  persuade  my 
mother  to  dispose  of  the  farm  and  go  to  Rich 
mond- — the  chosen  capital  of  the  new  Confederacy 
— where  she  had  relatives,  but  she  steadfastly 
answered  that  she  would  stay  where  she  was, 
near  the  grave  of  my  father,  and  that  when  her 
time  came,  in  God's  providence,  she  would  be 
buried  there  by  his  side.  No  words  could  meet 
that  simple  argument,  and  I  attempted  none 
nor  did  I  yet  have  the  heart  to  leave  her  in  her 
loneliness.  She  clung  to  me  now  as  all  that  re 
mained  to  her,  and  felt — though  she  did  not  say  it 
in  words — that  I  should  not  ask  her  to  make  so 
great  a  sacrifice. 

To  her,  war  was  merely  a  many-headed  mon 
ster,  with  tremendous  capabilities  for  death  and 
heart-break.  Was  there  ever  a  woman,  unless, 
indeed,  she  were  carried  beyond  herself  by  some 
overwhelming  zeal  or  frenzy,  who,  without  hesi 
tation,  gave  up  a  son  to  battle?  If  there  were 
ever  such  it  was  not  my  mother.  She  begged  and 
implored  me  to  wait — wait.  I  know  that  she  hoped 
and  tried  to  make  herself  believe  that  the  war  would 
be  brought  to  a  speedy  end,  as  millions  of  others 
did ;  but  it  grew  and  spread  and  became  increas 
ingly  more  bitter  and  implacable.  It  was  soon 
evident  that  it  was  to  be  a  struggle  to  the  very 
death,  and  that  the  end  would  only  come  when 


The  Monster  War  21 

the  resources  of  one  or  the  other  of  the  contest 
ants  were  exhausted. 

One  evening,  late  in  July,  I  rode  over  to  Bell- 
ray's  house,  scarcely  more  than  a  mile  away, 
which  gleamed  large  and  white  in  a  grove  of 
maple  and  elm  trees.  As  I  approached  I  heard 
a  girl's  voice  singing  a  new  northern  song.  Look 
ing  about  me  I  saw  the  singer,  simply  dressed  in 
some  white  material,  coming  along  the  orchard 
path  toward  the  house.  Her  face  was  partly  con 
cealed  by  a  wide-brimmed  "sundown"  of  straw, 
held  in  place  by  pale  blue  ribbons  tied  beneath 
her  chin.  Seeing  me,  the  song  was  suddenly 
suspended,  but  the  girl  came  on.  I  secured  my 
horse  at  the  gate  and  went  up  the  walk.  A  turn 
in  the  path  had  thrown  the  house  between  us  for 
a  moment  and  I  stopped  and  waited  for  her  to  re 
appear,  for  this  must  be  Kate  Bellray  whose 
home-coming  had  been  expected  for  some  days. 
Presently  she  turned  the  corner  of  the  building. 
It  was  she,  only  the  promising  child  had  come 
to  be  a  woman.  I  essayed  to  speak. 

"Miss  Bellray,  I  believe?"  was  the  best  I  could 
do.  And  how  weak  it  sounded,  as  if  there  were 
the  least  question  in  my  mind  as  to  who  she  was  ! 

"Have  I  changed  so  much  that  you  are  in 
doubt?"  she  asked,  smiling.  "Or  had  you  for 
gotten  me?" 

"You  have  changed,  certainly,  and  just  ascer- 


22  The  Legionaries 

tainly  I  had  not  forgotten  you.  A  victim  rarely 
forgets  the  one  who  put  him  on  the  rack." 

"Is  it  because  of  that  that  you  remember  me?" 
she  said,  the  old  mischievous  sparkle  in  her  eyes. 
"I  must  have  been  worse  than  I  thought." 

"The  memory  has  been  a  pleasant  one,"  I  re 
turned,  "so  pleasant  that  time  and  distance  have 
not  effaced  it." 

And  so  we  began  very  much  as  we  had  left  off 
three  years  before,  but  she  soon  became  serious 
enough,  as,  seated  in  the  shade  of  the  wide  porch, 
we  talked  of  many  things.  Fresh-faced  and 
clear-eyed,  with  the  curving  beauty  of  girlhood 
just  rounding  into  womanliness,  she  made  the 
most  attractive  picture  I  had  ever  seen.  In  fig 
ure  she  was  neither  short  nor  tall,  and  as  grace 
ful  in  every  movement  as  the  willow  when  bend 
ing  to  the  kiss  of  the  south  wind.  Her  mouth 
showed  a  line  of  firmness  without  obstinacy  that 
gave  a  key  to  her  character.  Never  have  I  seen 
eyes  like  hers,  at  once  so  full  of  intelligence  and 
so  expressive  of  her  emotions.  Whether  in  mirth, 
anger  or  ^sadness — and  I  have  seen  her  in  each 
state — the  beholder  must  perforce  yield  to  their 
spell,  for  her  very  soul  seemed  to  look  out  upon 
him.  I  am  not  skilled  in  the  art  of  describ 
ing  physical  perfections,  but  did  I  possess  it  in 
superlative  degree  I  could  lavish  it  all,  without 
degrading  it,  upon  Kate  Bellray  as  she  then  was. 
She  had  temper,  and  was  given  to  moods — what 


The  Monster  War  23 

man  or  woman  is  not  ? — and  I  have  felt  them  all, 
and  sometimes  writhed  under  them,  but  I  never 
theless  aver — but  why  should  I  aver  anything?  So 
partial  a  witness  might  be  doubted. 

Roger,  who  had  gone  to  Corydon,  came  back 
while  I  was  still  there,  bringing  word  of  the  first 
battle  at  Manassas,  in  which  the  Union  forces 
were  not  only  defeated,  but  had  fled  in  panic  back 
upon  Washington,  which  city  was  believed  to  be 
in  danger  of  capture.  I  had  a  feeling  of  exulta 
tion  over  the  fact  that  the  invading  army  had 
been  driven  from  Virginia,  which  must  uncon 
sciously  have  shown  in  my  face. 

"This  news  pleases  you,  sir,"  said  Miss  Bell- 
ray  disconcertingly. 

Somewhat  taken  aback,  I  hardly  knew  wha't 
answer  to  make,  so  direct  and  unexpected  was 
the  attack.  "One  naturally  sides  with  his  kith 
and  kin,"  I  returned  haltingly,  with  a  feeling 
that  my  face  had  grown  suddenly  red. 

"One  should  not  do  so  unless  sure  that  they 
are  right,  and  it  can  never  be  right  to  make  war 
upon  one's  country,"  she  exclaimed,  with  fine 
emphasis. 

"It  depends  on  the  point  of  view,"  said  I. 

"Don't  argue  with  her,  John,"  said  Roger, 
laughing.  "She  is  as  contentious  as  ever;  in 
fact,  a  regular  firebrand,  and  wholly  incorrigible." 

"Mr.  Trenham  was  educated  for  a  soldier,  and 
he  ^certainly  will  not  run  away  from  a  girl's  argu- 


24  The  Legionaries 

ments,"  she  retorted,  but  in  such  plain  good 
humor  that  it  carried  no  sting. 

"He  would  rather  face  a  battery  no  doubt;  at 
least  I  should.  A  girl's  argument  is  like  her  hair 
— she  arranges  it  to  suit  herself,  and  not  always 
in  proper  fashion,"  her  brother  returned,  helping 
me  out  of  what  seemed  to  him  an  awkward  situa- 

'    tion,  but  which,  indeed,  I  did  not  find  unpleasant, 
as  I  watched  the  girl's  animated  face. 

b2k      "But,  Sir  Roger  de  Coverley,  you  forget  that 

CD 

I  have  studied  logic  as  well  as  hair  dressing." 
' '  Come,  Kate,  drop  the  de  Coverley,  as  I  did  long 

ago;  and  also  drop  logic.     Don't  you  know  that 
\  it  has  been  said  over  and  over  again  that  there  is 

nothing  quite  so  unwomanly  as  logic?" 

"Is  it  so?"  she  cried,  tossing  her  head  in  mock 

seriousness.      "Then  allow  me  to  ask  a  question; 

^3 

that,  at  least,  is  one  thing  that  women  will  not  be 

denied  :  Was  the  loss  very  great  in  this  miserable 
battle?" 

"The  number  of  killed  and  wounded  on  both 

*fcJ*    • 

sides  is  large,  and,  as  for  the  missing — well,  the 
whole  Union  army  is  missing,"  Roger  answered 
soberly. 

"Terrible!"  she  exclaimed.  Then  looking  at 
her  brother  keenly  she  added :  "You  seem  dis 
posed  to  make  light  of  the  misfortune  of  your 
country." 

The  thrust  was  sharp,  but  he  was  prepared 
to  parry  it.  "Perhaps  it  is  not  a  misfortune, 


The  Monster  War 

my  sister.     This  disaster  may  teach  lesso 


more  valuable  than  would  have  been 
ning  of  the  victory.  And,  at  any  rate,  it 
safe  to  wager  that  every  raw  lad  who  ti 
out-foot  his  comrades  to  Washington  will 
put  to  another  test,  die  in  his  tracks  before  he  runs 
again.  That  is  human  nature,  and  he  will  never 
be  on  good  terms  with  himself  until  he  has  been 
given  another  trial  at  his  enemy." 

She  looked  at  him  gratefully,  her  ruffled  feel 
ings  being  smoothed  by  his  diplomacy.  The 
conversation  was  soon  turned  into  a  less  danger 
ous  channel. 

Kate  was  an  ardent  patriot.  She  had  been  for 
moJ33Bthan  three  years  at  school  in  a  city  that  had 
been^, hotbed  of  Abolition  sentiment.  The  south 
had  <here  been  pilloried  in  the  public  eye  for  a 
generation  and  more,  and  she  had  been  deeply  im- 

^•^u 

pressed  with  what  she  believed  to  be  the   sinful 
transgj^ssrans  of  the  southern  people.     There  was 
nothingjpersbrial  or  individual  in  her  antipathy, 
for  Sheffield  thought  well  of  my  father,  and  looked 
upon   my  mother  with  open  affection.      During 
her  vacations,  which  she  spent  at  home,  she  had 
been  much  at  our  house,  I  was  told,  and 
ened  it  with  her  young  and  cheerful  presence 
was  there  that  I  first  met  her,  a  rosy  maid 
fifteen  jpyous  years,  somewhat  given  to 

At  the  beginning  she  had  been  a  litt 
me,  but  on  a  better  acquaintance  this 


26  The  Legionaries 

ished  and  she  indulged  in  the  delightful  pastime 
of  vexing  me  in  every  way  that  a  quick  wit  could 
suggest.  I  had  sense  enough  to  see  the  utter  lack 
of  malice  in  her  behavior,  and  soon  came  to  have 
a  thorough  enjoyment  of  her  most  elaborate 
schemes  of  torture.  She  had  come  into  my  mind 
very  often  in  the  three  years  that  had  elapsed  since, 
not  seriously,  however,  but  as  an  interesting  recol 
lection.  For,  be  it  understood,  I  then  held  my- 
self  to  be  a  man  and  she  a  mere  slip  of  a  girl,  des 
tined,  no  doubt,  to  grow  into  a  lovely  woman.  In 
a  physical  way,  certainly,  this  destiny  was  fulfilled 
in  even  larger  degree  than  I  had  imagined,  and  as 
to  her  other  attributes  there  never  had  been  room 
for  the  least  question.  The  old  inclination  to 
place  thorns  in  my  pathway,  knowing  that  I 
would  stumble  upon  them  and  furnish  her  amuse 
ment  in  extricating  myself,  was  held  in  check, 
but  not  entirely  subdued.  Now  and  then  it  was 
given  liberty  during  the  next  year,  in  which  we 
were  much  together. 

Her  intense  Unionism — which  I  was  not  -in 
clined  to  regard  as  serious  in  a  woman — and  my 
anomalous  and  wholly  unsatisfactory  position 
gave  her  opportunities  of  which,  in  the  main,  I 
will  say  to  her  credit,  she  availed  herself  sparingly. 
Being  naturally  kind  of  heart,  she  very  soon 
learned  that  here  was  the  vulnerable  point  through 
which  my  feelings  could  be  most  sorely  harassed. 
But  even  toward  this  tender  spot  she  would  at 


The  Monster  War  27 

times,  when  I  had  been  so  unfortunate  as  to  irri 
tate  her  by  some  reference  to  the  South,  direct 
her  sharpest  javelins,  and  I,  helpless  to  pluck 
them  out,  would  smother  the  pain  they  caused 
me  as  best  I  could. 

Sometimes  for  days  I  would  avoid  her,  so 
keenly  did  I  feel  the  humiliation  of  my  position 
of  inaction  in  the  great  struggle  now  going  on 
almost  at  our  doors,  about  which  she  frequently 
rallied  me.  But  as  the  needle  responds  to  the 
magnet  without  reasoning  why,  so  would  I  turn 
again  toward  this  fair  star  of  the  north  who  at 
tracted  me  so  powerfully.  I  think  she  clearly 
understood  on  these  occasions  that  in  keeping 
away  from  her  I  was  not  moved  by  childish 
pique.  Had  she  thought  otherwise  she  could 
not,  with  her  qualities,  have  treated  me  with 
the  respect,  and  a  something  bordering  on  con 
trition,  that  she  took  no  pains  to  conceal  when 
we  would  again  come  together.  For  this  I  was 
grateful,  and  for  a  time  we  would  get  along 
smoothly  enough,  laughing  off  the  old  trouble 
and  vowing  to  avoid  further  offense. 

What  made  my  lot  the  harder  to  endure  was 
the  knowledge  that  very  many  of  the  best  young 
men  in  the  county  had  gone  to  the  war.  By  far 
the  greater  number,  of  course,  went  into  the  na 
tional  army,  but  it  was  more  than  suspected  that 
some,  for  one  reason  or  another,  had  slipped 
quietly  across  the  Ohio  river  to  join  the  Confed- 


28  The  Legionaries 

erate  forces.  Roger  Bellray  himself  told  me  of 
instances  of  this  kind,  and  no  man  was  better  in 
formed  than  he  as  to  what  was  going  on  in  our 
locality.  The  loss  to  the  North  in  this  manner 
was,  it  was  clearly  apparent,  fully  made  up  by  the 
accessions  to  its  strength  which  came  from  the 
South.  Nothing  can  more  effectively  illustrate 
the  lack  of  unanimity  of  sentiment  in  both  sec 
tions,  unless  it  be  those  numerous  and  fully  ac 
credited  instances  of  persecution  and  door-to- 
door  warfare  for  opinion's  sake,  which  raged 
then  and  later  in  many  states  on  both  sides  of  the 
Ohio. 

Among  those  who  had  joined  the  national  army 
was  young  Philip  Deverny,  a  member  of  an  in 
fluential  family  living  not  far  beyond  the  Bell- 
ray  place.  He  had  recently  been  at  home  suffer 
ing  from  a  disabling  wound  received  in  the  battle 
at  Shiloh,  and  wore  the  uniform  of  a  lieutenant  of 
cavalry.  I  saw  him  last  at  Bellray's  one  evening 
just  before  he  departed  to  rejoin  his  regiment, 
then  at  Corinth.  Self-contained  and  handsome, 
with  the  prestige  of  a  soldier  who  had  been  in 
battle,  I  felt  that  in  his  presence  I  was  over 
shadowed.  And  yet  nothing  could  have  been 
more  considerate  and  circumspect  than  his  con 
duct;  it  was  exemplary,  and  in  all  respects 
above  reproach.  We  talked  about  our  differing 
views,  but  we  did  it  as  gentlemen,  and  at  parting 
he  expressed  the  hope  that  one  day  we  might 


The  Monster  War  29 

meet  in  the  field,  though  not  in  personal  strife; 
a  hope  that  I  gladly  seconded,  but  which  nearly 
failed  of  realization. 

For  some  time  afterward  Kate  treated  me  with 
a  reserve  and  curtness  of  manner  which,  while 
largely  unconscious  and  not  intended  to  offend, 
wounded  me  deeply.  I  could  not  but  attribute 
it  to  the  contrast  that  she  must  have  drawn  in  her 
mind,  to  my  very  great  disadvantage,  between 
myself  and  the  lieutenant.  I  had  no  cause  to  be 
jealous  of  him — even  if  I  were  disposed  to  en 
tertain  so  base  a  feeling — for  Kate  herself  had 
told  me  that  he  had  long  paid  court  to  Betty 
West,  her  one  intimate  girl  friend.  So  far  as 
that  matter  is  concerned,  nothing  had  passed 
between  Kate  and  me  that  gave  me  a  claim  upon 
her  to  the  exclusion  of  any  one  else,  and  I  made 
no  pretense  of  asserting  any. 

But  she  must  know  why  I,  educated  for  a  mil 
itary  career,  apparently  dawdled  at  home  while 
others  hastened  to  the  front  where  courageous 
men  fought  and  died  for  what  they  believed  to  be 
the  right.  If  she  did  not  know  I  could  not  tell 
her.  I  could  not  put  forward  my  lonely  mother 
and  her  appeals  to  me  to  tarry  yet  awhile,  to 
shield  me  from  the  criticism  that  my  non-action 
seemed  to  merit. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE   PLACARD   ON   THE   POST 

ONE  day  a  small  party  of  us  were  returning 
from  a  visit  to  the  great  Wyandotte  cavern. 
While  living  only  a  few  miles  away,  I  had  never 
before  seen  its  many  wonders,  and  for  my  benefit 
Roger  Bellray  and  his  sister  had  arranged  the 
expedition.  Bellray,  with  my  mother  and  Mrs. 
Willing,  an  elderly  aunt,  who  for  years  had 
looked  after  his  household,  went  in  a  carnage, 
but  Kate  and  I  had  preferred  to  go  on  horseback. 

It  was  while  returning  homeward  from  this  ex 
cursion  that  I  suffered  the  sharpest  vexation 
of  spirit  at  her  hands,  followed  by  the  swiftest 
amends.  We  rode  in  advance  of  the  others,  and 
being  able  to  make  better  speed,  even  without 
haste,  we  soon  left  them  out  of  sight.  She  had 
behaved  well  throughout  the  day,  but-  now  an 
unlucky  reference  of  mine  to  some  caverns  of  the 
South  opened  up  the  old  difficulty. 

"They  are,  of  course,  vastly  superior  to  the 
Wyandotte,"  she  said,  with  a  sudden  change  of 
manner. 

"I  had  not  said  so,"  I  returned,  propitiatingly. 
(30) 


The  Placard  on  the  Post        31 

"I  never  saw  them,  but  am  told  that  they  are 
quite  fine." 

"Certainly  they  are;  they  must  be,"  she  ex 
claimed,  tossing  her  head  scornfully.  "As  the 
South  surpasses  us  in  everything  else,  it  natur 
ally  excels  in  caves." 

Putting  whip  to  her  horse,  she  galloped  furi 
ously  ahead,  as  if  determined  to  get  as  far  as 
possible  away  from  my  unfortunate  South,  ancj 
from  myself,  its  no  less  luckless  son.  How  she 
tried  my  patience !  But  I  was  resolved  to  keep 
my  temper.  She  presently  slowed  her  pace,  and 
allowed  me  to  come  up  with  her.  I  waited  for 
her  to  speak,  but  she  remained  silent. 

She  did  not  look  at  me  at  once,  but  leaning 
forward  she  stroked  with  one  small  gloved  hand 
the  arched  neck  of  her  thoroughbred  Kentuckian. 
Her  back  was  to  the  low-lying  September  sun, 
which  tangled  its  rays  of  fire  with  the  golden 
brown  tints  of  her  hair.  I  could  not  see  her  face, 
but  the  cheek  toward  me  was  aflame.  After  a 
little  time  she  turned  her  head,  and  I  saw  that 
the  threatened  storm  had  not  completely  passed 
over. 

"It  seems  to  me  a  little  strange,  Mr.  Trenham, 
that  you  should  remain  in  such  a  commonplace 
country  as  this  after  having  experienced  the  de 
lights  of  your  southern  paradise,"  she  said 
steadily. 

This  was  too  much.     "God  knows  that  I  have 


32  The  Legionaries 

been  ready  to  leave  it  for  many  long  months,  not 
because  it  is  commonplace,  but  because  it  is  not 
mine,"  I  broke  out  with  some  bitterness,  forget 
ting,  in  the  face  of  this  new  provocation,  my  good 
resolution. 

"What  restrains  you?"  she  asked,  with  har 
rowing  coolness.  "Other  men  have  gone  who 
would  have  liked  to  stay." 

"You  know  very  well  what  has  kept  me,"  said 
I,  in  a  voice  that  sounded  hard  and  unnatural  to 
my  own  ears.  "I  wonder  that  you  can  ask  such 
a  question." 

She  looked  a  little  alarmed,  and  some  of  the 
color  left  her  face.  I  was  exasperated  and  hurt, 
and  restrained  my  anger  with  difficulty.  I  fancy 
that  she  saw  the  wound  she  had  inflicted,  and  that 
it  was  deep.  She  changed  about  completely. 

"I  have  again  offended  you,"  she  said,  with 
an  air  of  contrition,  "and,  while  I  have  many  pre 
vious  transgressions  against  your  good  nature  to 
reproach  myself  for,  I  must  now  admit  renewed 
guilt,  and  ask  your  pardon." 

"To  be  offended  I  must  feel,"  I  returned,  my 
inward  wrath  not  wholly  appeased;  "and  to  feel 
I  must  be  made  of  blood  and  bone,  tissue  and 
nerves  like  other  men.  Does  it  just  now  occur  to 
you,  Kate,  that  I  am  not  wood  or  iron,  or  baker's 
dough?" 

"Don't  be  foolish,  John,"  she  said,  looking 
straight  down  the  road.  It  was  the  first  time 


The  Placard  on  the  Post        33 

she  had  called  me  by  this  name  since  she  had 
come  home,  and  I  was  at  once  disarmed.  She 
turned  her  face  to  mine  and  continued:  "I  have 
no  disposition,  really  and  truly,  as  you  ought  to 
know,  to  hurt  you  in  any  way,  and  I  am  sorry 
for  having  done  so.  Indeed,  I  must  confess  my 
surprise  that  you  have  all  along  taken  my  poor 
opinions  so  seriously.  Nobody  else  does,  except 
Betty  West.  When  I  talk  at  home  about  the  war 
and  such  things  Aunt  Sarah  is  inclined  to  go  to 
sleep  and  Roger  busies  himself  with  something, 
smiles  and  says  'yes'  and  'no'  without  any  rele 
vancy  whatever.  No  doubt  I  have  imposed  on 
you,  and  you  have  borne  it  all  like  a  gentleman — 
a  real  southern  gentleman,  too— and  there  are 
such,  I  know,  for  you  and  your  father  have 
proved  it.  But  I  have  liked  you  for  it,  even 
when  I  must  have  seemed  to  you  most  unfeeling, 
if  not  actually  barbarous." 

"So,"  said  I,  wholly  mollified,  "you  and  Betty 
West  agree?" 

"Perfectly.  And  she  is  a  sensible  girl,  too.  Of 
course  she  is  only  a  girl,  but  may  not  a  girl  know 
something?" 

"Yes;  something,  certainly."  To  the  word 
"something"  I  gave  a  decided  emphasis,  for  I 
did  not  know  to  what  extent  the  wisdom  of  Betty 
West  might  be  appealed  to. 

'  'She  doesn't  know  everything,  as  the  men  do, ' ' 
3 — LEGIONARIES. 


34  The  Legionaries 

she  retorted  with  equally  definite  meaning,  al 
ways  ready  for  battle,  "but  what  she  does  know 
she  knows  as  well  as  any  one." 

This  statement  of  the  proposition  was  so  con 
clusive  and  irrefutable  as  to  leave  no  ground  for 
argument.  "Both  of  you  think  that  I  should 
pattern  after  Philip  Deverny,  I  suppose." 

Kate  started  a  little  and  made  haste  to  answer. 
"No,  John;  I  have  not  talked  to  her  about  you 
— that  is,  not  in  connection  with  the  war."  A 
tell-tale  blush,  which  I  was  quick  to  see,  deepened 
the  color  of  her  cheeks.  "Lieutenant  Deverny 
has  made  a  good  soldier,  but  you  are  capable  of 
making  a  better  one.  Betty  thinks  of  him,  and 
weeps  for  him  and  prays  for  him.  Had  the  need 
been,  she  would  have  urged  him  to  go,  and  if 
necessary  she  would  beg  him  to  stay  to  the  end. 
And  yet  she  would  give  her  heart's  blood  to  have 
him  with  her  again.  She  looks  to  see  his  name 
in  every  list  of  killed  in  battle,  yet  she  glories  in 
his  danger,  for  she  knows  that  he  is  righting  for 
his  country." 

"It  is  proper  for  Betty  to  think  and  feel  these 
things  respecting  Deverny  since  he  is  acting  in  a 
way  that  pleases  her.  But  suppose  he  had  gone 
out  to  fight  against  the  North?" 

"Oh,  that  would  have  made  a  very  different 
case,"  she  responded  quickly.  "If  he  had  done 
that  she  would  detest  him." 


The  Placard  on  the  Post        35 

"Well,  suppose  I  should  conclude  to  do  it; 
how  would  you  regard  me?" 

I  realized  as  soon  as  I  had  uttered  the  words 
that  I  had  put  to  her  an  unfair  question.  She 
flushed  and  began  to  flick  in  confusion  at  some 
thistledown  that  had  lodged  on  her  riding  skirt. 
I  made  haste  to  relieve  her. 

"Don't  you  see  my  position  here?"  I  asked. 

"I  have  seen  that  you  were  troubled,"  she 
said,  evading  a  direct  answer.  "You  have  shown 
your  feelings  plainly." 

"I  am  troubled,"  I  exclaimed,  all  the  misery  of 
my  position  rushing  upon  me;  "I  have  fretted 
until  my  brain  has  burned  and  my  heart  has  be 
come  at  times  as  dry  as  a  puff-ball.  I  have 
waited,  hesitating,  chafing  until  almost  beside 
myself.  Were  it  a  mere  question  of  saving  the 
Union  I  would  fight  for  its  integrity,  and  fight  to 
extend  its  borders  if  the  chance  offered.  But  this 
is  a  mere  fanatics'  war,  a  sort  of  new  crusade 
waged  against  my  Christian  kin  of  the  South. 
The  northern  men  have  already  made  a  charnel- 
house  of  my  native  state.  Its  soil  has  been  red 
dened  with  the  blood  of  my  relatives,  poured  out 
at  their  very  doorsteps.  You  must  imagine,  for  I 
can  not  tell  you,  how  much  I  have  suffered  and 
endured,  how  many  wakeful  nights  and  bitter  days 
I  have  passed  while  struggling  between  loyalty  to 
the  old  flag  and  duty  to  the  people  among  whom 
I  was  born." 


36  The  Legionaries 

She  turned  her  eyes  now  full  upon  me,  and  in 
her  face  I  read  an  encouraging  sympathy.  But 
she  did  not  speak,  and  I,  determined  to  make  as 
good  a  defense  for  myself  as  I  could,  went  on: 

"Ah,  Kate,  if  my  poor  father  had  been  content 
after  the  break  in  his  fortunes  to  remain  in  Vir 
ginia  my  course  would  have  been  easier  to  choose. 
But  such  was  his  pride  that  he  could  not  endure 
his  fallen  state  in  the  company  of  those  who  had 
known  him  in  prosperity.  So  he  came  here,  lived 
a  few  quiet  years  and  died,  thank  God,  before 
this  unhappy  conflict  began.  But  he  foresaw  it, 
and  his  heart  remained  true  to  the  Old  Dominion. 
Notwithstanding  that  his  dust  is  mingled  with 
the  soil  of  your  country,  I  would,  in  my  selfish 
ness,  for  the  pain  it  has  caused  me,  curse  the 
day  when  he  came  to  the  North  if  it  were  not — 
I  may  as  well  say  it — if  it  were  not  for  you." 

"John,  John,"  she  cried  impulsively.  "You 
say  this,  when  I  have  added  so  much  to  your 
burden,  and  perhaps  may  add  still  more,  for  I  am 
very  unruly. ' '  She  nervously  fingered  the  handle 
of  her  riding  whip. 

"Yes;  if  you  had  done  many  times  as  much, 
I  would  still  say  it,"  I  declared.  "You  could 
not  understand  all  of  the  difficulties  of  my  situa 
tion,  and  so  you  have  blamed  me  for  not  espous 
ing  the  cause  of  the  North.  But  do  you  not 
know  that  many  who  are  native  here  are  not 


The  Placard  on  the  Post        37 

even  now  clear  as  to  the  course  that  they  should 
pursue  ?" 

"It  is  true,"  she  returned  slowly,  a  shadow 
upon  her  fair  face.  "And  how  presumptuous 
you  must  think  me  for  putting  my  girl's  opinions 
against  yours  and  that  of  my  own  brother.  But 
Roger  talks  about  the  constitution,  and  reasons 
and  doubts;  you  argue  and  hold  back;  while  I, 
being  a  woman,  feel  and  believe  that  I  know. 
That  is  a  woman's  way  and  privilege,  but  being 
a  woman,  I  must  perforce  stay  at  home  and 
dream  of  things  I  would  do  if  I  could,  or  which, 
at  least,  I  think  I  would  do.  Roger  greatly  pro 
vokes  me,  though  he  is  the  best  of  brothers." 

I  could  easily  understand  how  Roger's  conduct 
affected  her,  for  at  this  time  his  relations  witt 
neighboring  ultra  Unionists  were  far  from  being 
amicable.  He  was  suspected  of  being  disloyal, 
and  I,  on  two  occasions,  had  gone  with  him  to 
the  house  of  Colonel  Mandrell,  in  Louisville,  who 
was  known  to  have  favored  the  secession  of  Ken 
tucky.  The  making  of  this  statement  involves  no 
violation  of  confidence,  as  will  be  seen. 

What  transpired  between  them  the  first  time  I 
do  not  know,  for  shortly  after  our  arrival  they 
withdrew  to  the  Colonel's  library  for  private  con 
verse  while  I  was  engaged  socially  with  Mrs. 
Mandrell  and  her  daughters.  Before  our  depart 
ure  I  was  called  into  the  library,  and  there  re 
ceived  most  extraordinary  proof  of  the  old  gen- 


38  The  Legionaries 

tleman's  favor.  For  this,  later,  I  was  thankful, 
as  it  enabled  me  to  extricate  myself  from  a  very 
disagreeable  situation.  As  to  the  second  occa 
sion,  that  also  will  appear. 

"Pardon  me,  Kate,"  said  I,  seeing  that  in  my 
eagerness  to  excuse  myself  I  had  made  a  mistake. 
"I  had  no  intention  to  drag  your  brother  into 
our  little  discussion.  He  is  an  honorable  man; 
his  views,  whatever  they  are,  are  conscientious 
and  he  is  entitled  to  maintain  them.  I  merely 
referred  to  a  class.  As  for  Roger  and  me,  it 
has  been  hard  for  us  both,  much  harder  than  you 
can  guess.  Your  New  England  schooling  has 
made  it  difficult  for  you  to  bear  with  us  patiently, 
I  fear." 

I  accompanied  this  statement  with  a  smile 
which  I  meant  to  be  conciliatory,  but  which  she 
perversely  misconstrued.  "You  laugh  at  me, 
sir,"  she  said  with  spirit,  lifting  her  head  defi 
antly. 

"Oh,  it  is  not  so  bad  as  that,"  I  hastened  to 
say.  "But  the  air  of  Massachusetts,  so  long 
breathed  by  the  Phillipses  and  the  Garrisons  and 
other  fomenters  of  sectional  ill  will  is  not  the  at 
mosphere  in  which  tolerance  and  charity  ripen." 

This  only  made  the  matter  worse,  and  con 
vinced  me  that  I  was  a  poor  diplomat.  There 
had  been  times  when  I  had  purposely  aroused 
her,  so  keenly  did  I  enjoy  the  flashing  of  her  fine 
eyes  when  the  subject  under  discussion  was  not 


The  Placard  on  the  Post        39 

too  tender.  But  the  present  occasion  did  not 
warrant  such  questionable  indulgence.  To  her 
the  men  named  by  me  were  little  short  of  dem 
igods. 

"Do  not  concern  yourself  as  to  how  it  happens 
that  I  think  as  I  do,"  said  she,  with  nettled  tem 
per.  "I  surely  have  proved  to  you  that  I  have 
convictions,  whatever  their  source.  You  may 
laugh  at  them,  if  you  please,  and  at  my  boast  as 
to  what  I  should  do  if  I  were  a  man.  But  I  know, 
Mr.  Trenham,  that  your  'Christian  kin  of  the 
South,'  as  you  call  them,  are  seeking  to  tear 
down  the  best  government  in  the  world  in  order 
that  they  may  continue  to  hold  their  fellow-creat 
ures  in  bondage,  and  that  to  this  end  they  have 
driven  the  country  into  a  terrible  war.  If  I  were 
a  man,"  she  cried,  "I  would  openly  take  one  side 
or  the  other.  I  would  take  to  the  field  and  fight 
my  enemy  face  to  face,  and  not  ally  myself  with 
traitors  at  home,  and  fight  from  ambush." 

My  face  burned  hot  at  the  thought  that  she 
could  consider  me  capable  of  such  perfidious  ac 
tion  as  her  last  words  implied,  but  by  an  effort  I 
answered  her  calmly. 

"I  do  not  know  why  you  should  speak  to  me 
of  joining  traitors  at  home  and  fighting  from  am 
bush.  Nor  can  I  believe  that  you  want  to  wound 
me  beyond  recovery.  I  take  my  full  measure  of 
blame  for  all  that  you  have  said  and  implied. 
Now  let  us  drop  this  unhappy  and  profitless  topic. 


40  The  Legionaries 

Between  us  it  is  like  a  knife  that  cuts  in  the  hand 
ling,  whether  we  will  or  no.  If  we  pursue  it 
further  it  may  leave  scars  that  we  can  never  en 
tirely  conceal  from  each  other.  Besides,  we  are 
nearly  home." 

Always  ready  for  truce  as  she  was  for  battle, 
she  became  suddenly  pacific.  "You  are  right, 
John;  sometimes  you  can  be  right,  can't  you?" 
— this  with  a  glance  of  the  eye  that  set  my  heart 
thumping.  "I  am  a  silly  goose,  and  you  are  a 
great  big,  wise,  good-natured  man.  Otherwise 
how  could  you  suffer  my  many  impertinences,  for 
such  they  must  have  appeared  to  you,  although 
they  were  actually  not  so  intended.  There,  now, 
I  am  good  again;  but  I  really  must  say  things 
at  times." 

"So  I  have  learned,"  said  I,  laughing,  "and 
you  know  how  to  say  them,  too." 

She  laughed  also,  a  merry,  ringing  laugh,  as 
if  she  were  glad  of  the  chance.  We  had  been  pro 
ceeding  slowly,  and  had  come  by  now  to  the 
arched  entrance  of  the  maple-shaded  lane  leading 
from  the  highway  to  her  brother's  house,  which 
from  the  top  of  the  knoll  looked  upon  the  sur 
rounding  country  with  an  air  of  confident  pros 
perity.  There  was  no  gate,  only  two  wide 
planked  posts  surmounted  by  the  segment  of  a 
circle  with  a  large  letter  B  in  the  center.  Nailed 
to  one  of  the  posts  was  a  fresh,  flaring  placard, 
which  I  could  read  very  well  without  dismounting. 


The  Placard  on  the  Post        41 

"What  have  we  here?"  I  said,  drawing  rein  to 
inspect  the  placard. 

The  first  line,  in  bold  type,  caught  my  eyes 
and  held  them  to  the  paper,  as  well  it  might.  It 
ran  thus:  "A  Military  Order."  Then  came 
the  following: 

"In  order  to  repel  invasion  and  insure  the  pub 
lic  safety,  it  is  hereby  ordered,  that  all  able-bodied 
white  male  citizens,  between  the  ages  of  eighteen 
and  forty-five,  who  reside  in  the  counties  border 
ing  on  the  Ohio  river,  in  this  State,  immediately 
upon  receiving  notice  of  this  order  shall  meet  at 
their  respective  places  of  holding  elections  in  their 
respective  townships,  towns  or  wards,  and  form 
themselves  into  companies  for  military  duty.  The 
members  of  said  companies  will  immediately  arm 
and  equip  themselves  with  such  arms  and  equip 
ments  as  they  can  procure,  and  will  prepare  them 
selves,  by  discipline  and  drill,  for  active  service 
with  the  least  possible  delay.  All  persons  liable 
to  do  military  duty,  as  above  provided,  will  be 
held  to  a  strict  observance  of  these  orders,  and  the 
colonel  or  other  officer  of  the  Legion  who  may  be 
in  command  in  each  of  said  border  counties  is 
charged  with  their  faithful  execution." 

The  order  was  signed  by  the  governor,  as  com- 
mander-in-chief.  It  contained  some  other  mat 
ters  of  detail,  but  the  provisions  which  I  have 
quoted  were  the  ones  that  concerned  me. 

"What  does  it  mean  ?"  asked  Kate,  doubt 
fully.  She  had  looked  it  over,  but  did  not  seem 
to  have  fully  grasped  its  import. 

"Very  much,"  said    I,  with  a  great  sense  of 


42  The  Legionaries 

personal  relief.  "To  me  it  means  freedom  and 
absence;  it  is  the  cast  of  the  die.  I  can  not  obey 
this  order.  To  do  so  would  be  a  wicked  stulti 
fication  of  my  opinions  and  conscience.  But  it 
makes  me  free  and  determines  my  course,  and  for 
that  I  am  thankful." 

"And  Roger  ?"  she  asked,  beginning  to  see. 

"He  will  find  a  way,"  I  answered,  yet  I  knew 
that  to  him  this  order,  if  I  understood  his  opin 
ions  and  character,  meant  annoyances  and  possi 
ble  persecution. 

My  answer  did  not  seem  to  satisfy  her,  and  for 
a  little  time  as  we  walked  our  horses  toward  the 
house  she  was  silent.  Presently  she  asked:  "Is 
there  such  great  necessity  for  this  extraordinary 
command  ?  One  would  think  from  reading  it 
that  the  rebels  were  at  our  doors  redhanded." 

'  'The  governor  must  believe  that  an  emergency 
exists,"  I  responded.  "And  perhaps  he  is  right. 
A  Confederate  army  has  started  toward  the 
North.  It  is  in  Kentucky,  and  it  is  said  that 
Louisville  is  to  be  taken.  From  that  city  Indi 
ana  is  just  across  the  river.  Who  knows  what 
may  happen?" 

"Oh,  the  traitors  !"  she  exclaimed,  raising  a 
clenched  hand  aloft 

"Pardon  me,"  said  I  deprecatingly ;  "traitors 
if  they  lose  their  cause.  If  they  win,  they  will 
not  be  so  recorded.  Historians  judge  of  such 
things  by  the  result.  " 


The  Placard  on  the  Post        43 

"Win  or  lose,  they  are  traitors  just  the  same. 
A  crime  is  no  less  a  crime  because  it  is  success 
fully  perpetrated,"  she  rejoined  firmly. 

"And  I  ?" 

"And  you;  you  are  yet  innocent,  and  I  only 
accuse  the  guilty,"  she  returned  sadly. 

Here  we  came  to  the  gate,  from  which  ran  a 
graveled  walk  to  the  house.  Dismounting,  I 
reached  up  my  hands  and  assisted  her  to  alight. 
I  did  not  mean  to  delay  my  departure,  and  would 
take  my  leave  of  her  at  once.  But  it  was  more 
difficult  than  I  had  thought  when  contemplating 
the  probability  that  now  faced  me  as  fact. 

The  war  had  lasted  more  than  a  year,  and  dur 
ing  all  that  time  I  had  been  living  in  the  border 
land  of  hell  and  paradise.  The  dearest  creatures 
on  earth  to  me  were  here.  For  their  sakes  I 
would  make  any  sacrifice  short  of  my  honor.  I 
had  honestly  tried  to  convince  myself  that  I 
should  help  to  uphold  the  flag  and  the  govern 
ment  under  which  I  was  born,  but  in  the  opinion 
of  my  people  that  government  had  become  a 
tyranny,  and  its  flag  an  emblem  of  oppression. 
They  were  arrayed  against  it,  struggling  for 
what  they  believed  to  be  right;  and,  right  or 
wrong,  their  fortune  must  be  mine.  It  was  a 
time  of  blood  and  passion  and  unreason.  It  was 
hard  to  see  and  think  clearly,  and  if  I  erred  it 
was  not  strange. 

"Kate,"  said  I,  "very  soon,  I  fear,  I  shall  be 


44  The  Legionaries 

equally  guilty  in  your  eyes  with  those  others.  I 
can  not  stay  here  longer.  For  my  honor's  sake 
it  would  have  been  better  to  do  before  this  order 
what  must  now  be  done  in  the  face  of  it.  It  looks 
too  much  like  holding  back  until  forced  to 
make  a  choice  of  armies  in  which  to  fight,  and 
that  were  things  otherwise  I  would  not  go  at  all. 
But  my  mother  and  you  and  Roger  will  know  the 
truth,  and  I  care  nothing  about  what  others  may 
think.  No  man  knows  what  will  be  the  end,  or 
when  it  will  come,  but  I  must  play  a  part  in  this 
great  tragedy.  What  fortune  or  fate  has  in  store 
for  me,  and  for  us  all,  time  will  tell.  I  will  not 
see  you  again,  as  I  shall  leave  to-night  or  to-mor 
row  morning  at  the  latest.  Good-bye." 

I  took  her  unresisting  hand  and  looking  into 
her  face  saw  that  she  was  deeply  moved  by  some 
\motion.  When  she  spoke  her  voice  trembled  and 
was  very  low  and  soft. 

"I  am  glad,  and  sorry,  too;  glad  that  at  last 
you  have  settled  a  question  that  has  vexed  you  so 
greatly,  and  sorry  that  you  have  settled  it  wrongly. 
Overlook  my  vanity  in  assuming  that  I  am  right 
and  you  wrong,  for  Roger  said  truly  when  he 
told  you  that  I  was  incorrigible,"  she  added,  at 
tempting  a  smile,  but  it  was  a  poor  counterfeit  of 
the  natural  one  that  had  so  many  times  in  my 
presence  glorified  her  countenance  and  warmed 
me  with  its  sunshine.  "Wherever  you  are,  God 
be  with  you.  Good-bye. " 


The  Placard  on  the  Post        45 

She  turned  from  me,  but  not  before  I  had  seen 
that  her  eyes  were  suffused  with  tears.  Mount 
ing  my  horse  I  rode  away.  Looking  back  as  I 
turned  into  the  highway  I  saw  her  standing  by 
the  gate,  and  a  white  handerchief  fluttered  from 
her  upraised  hand.  A  truce,  indeed. 

A  little  further  along  I  passed  Roger,  but  did 
not  stop.  Turning  again  presently,  I  saw  that  he 
was  apparently  reading  the  placard  on  the  post. 
Then  came  a  sweeping  motion  of  his  arm,  and  he 
cut  it  down  with  his  carriage  whip. 


CHAPTER  IV 

GIVE   ME   ROAD,  SIRS 

As  I  made  my  way  home  I  felt  elated  and  al 
most  happy,  but  as  one  from  whose  limbs  shack 
les  had  just  been  removed,  leaving  them  galled 
and  sore  from  long  chafing.  No  doubt  as  to  my 
mother's  consent  to  my  going  now  troubled  me. 
She  could  see  as  clearly  as  I  that  there  was  no 
other  manly  course  open  to  me.  But  the  only 
anxiety  that  disquieted  me  concerned  her.  How 
would  she  be  treated  by  the  extreme  loyalists 
when  it  became  known  that  her  son  had  at  last 
cast  his  fortunes  with  the  people  of  the  South 
whom  they  held  to  be  rebels  and  traitors?  That 
seemed  to  me  to  be  a  serious  question ;  yet  as 
she  was  a  woman  of  tact  and  lived  quietly,  giving 
offense  to  none,  she  would  probably  suffer  no 
serious  molestation. 

Besides,  she  would  have  the  protection  of  Roger 
Bellray,  if  she  should  at  any  time  be  threatened. 
He  had  given  me  to  understand  that  if  ever  I 
should  make  up  my  mind  to  leave  I  could  do  so 
without  fearing  in  the  least  for  her  welfare.  So 
strong  and  masterful  was  his  personality,  and  so 
(46) 


Give  Me  Road,  Sirs  47 

numerous  and  powerful  were  his  friends,  that  the 
most  rabid  would  hesitate  before  provoking  an 
open  breach  with  him. 

These  considerations  reassured  me,  and  I  en 
tered  my  mother's  house  with  all  doubts  and 
anxieties  dissipated.  I  found  her  in  her  room, 
where  she  had  gone  to  rest  from  the  day's  fatigue 
before  coming  down  to  the  evening  meal  which 
she  had  ordered  to  wait  my  return.  I  had  always 
been  very  proud  of  my  mother,  who  retained  so 
much  of  the  good  looks  of  her  younger  days. 
She  had  never  cared  much  for  society,  and  so 
was  not  greatly  disturbed  by  her  present  isolation 
from  the  old  familiar  scenes  and  places. 

Latterly  the  bright  young  faces  of  Kate  Bellray 
and  Betty  West  had  appeared  often  in  our  house, 
greatly  relieving  its  somberness,  if,  in  truth,  that 
quietness  which  had  rested  within  its  walls  since 
father's  death  can  properly  be  called  somber. 
The  liveliness  of  their  spirits  greatly  revived  her 
own,  and  I  felt  that  I  could  trust  them  to  continue 
their  ministrations.  Indeed,  my  absence,  I  felt 
sure,  would  serve  to  encourage  one  of  these  girls 
to  increase  the  frequency  of  her  visits. 

The  war  was  a  topic  that  my  mother  avoided  in 
my  presence  as  much  as  possible,  hardly  ever 
broaching  it  herself,  and  tactfully  getting  away  from 
it  when  I  brought  it  up,  as  I  did  very  often.  Not 
that  she  lacked  interest  in  it — for  I  knew  that  it 
must  be  otherwise ;  her  seeming  indifference  was 


48  The  Legionaries 

on  my  account.  While  meaning  to  be  dutiful 
and  affectionate,  as  I  felt  that  I  was  in  all  re 
spects,  I  was  assertive  and  impetuous,  and  in 
clined  to  rebel  against  the  restraints  that  de 
tained  me  from  the  activities  of  the  field. 

Of  course  I  did  not  put  it  that  way  before  her, 
or  rave  and  tear  my  hair  and  accuse  her  of  self 
ishness  or  a  lack  of  regard  for  my  feelings.  Very 
far  from  it;  but  she  understood,  and  aimed  only 
at  drawing  me  away  as  much  as  she  could  from 
the  evident  cause  of  my  distress.  I  think,  after 
she  became  convinced  that  the  war  was  to  be  pro 
longed,  she  never  really  believed  that  she  could 
do  more  than  postpone  the  day  of  our  separation. 

And  now,  when  I  told  her  how  matters  stood, 
she  did  not  make  my  lot  harder  by  giving  way  to 
tears  and  protestation.  On  the  contrary,  after 
the  first  shock  had  spent  its  force,  she  affected  a 
cheerfulness  that  I  knew  she  did  not  feel,  and  at 
once  set  about  the  task  of  arranging  the  few  neces 
sary  belongings  that  I  would  take  with  me. 

That  night,  while  in  my  room  making  prepara 
tions  for  my  departure,  there  came  a  knock  at  the 
door.  Supposing  it  to  be  Peter  come  to  take 
orders  as  to  getting  my  horse  ready  I  called  out 
that  he  should  come  in,  not  suspending  my  work 
or  looking  around.  The  latch  clicked,  a  step 
sounded  on  the  carpeted  floor,  and  then  a  hand 
slapped  me  on  the  back.  Annoyed,  I  turned 


Give  Me  Road,  Sirs  49 

about  to  rebuke  the  familiarity,  when  I  saw  that 
the  visitor  was  Roger  Bellray. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr.  Bellray;  I  thought 
it  was  Peter, ' '  I  said  in  excuse  of  my  apparent 
incivility. 

"It  is  for  me  to  apologize  for  intruding  upon 
your  privacy,"  he  said;  "but  I  thought  we 
could  talk  while  you  worked,  and  I  could  not  let 
you  go  away  without  seeing  you." 

He  took  a  seat  by  the  open  window  that 
looked  out  toward  the  road,  and  I  explained  to 
him  that  I  was  glad  he  had  come  as  I  intended  to 
be  on  my  way  at  midnight. 

"Your  resolution  is  somewhat  suddenly  taken, 
is  it  not  ?"  he  asked. 

"The  balance  tipped  against  me  and  I  have  no 
honorable  alternative,"  I  answered,  yet  in  a  mo 
ment  regretting  that  I  expressed  it  that  way,  for 
his  face  colored  with  offense. 

"You  refer  to  the  order  commanding  all  able- 
bodied  men  to  join  the  Legion,"  he  said  curtly, 
and  with  something  like  a  sneer. 

"The  same  that  I  saw  you  strike  from  your 
post,"  I  returned. 

"That  was  my  legal  privilege,  the  post  being 
my  property  and  situated  on  my  ground.  I  will 
teach  even  the  legionaries  that  I  still  control 
what  is  my  own,  and  that  my  consent  to  its  use 
must  still  be  sought." 
4 — LEGIONARIES. 


50  The  Legionaries 

"Of  course, "said  I,  smiling  in  spite  of  my 
self,  for  his  manner  was  earnest  to  the  point  of 
intensity,  "you  took  no  exceptions  to  the  placard 
itself  ?" 

"I  have  no  right  to  do  so,"  he  answered, 
fairly.  "It  gives  notice  of  an  order  that  is 
proper  for  the  governor  to  issue,  and  one  which 
should  be  obeyed  by  all  who  feel  that  they  can 
conscientiously  obey  it.  When  one  acts  within 
his  rights,  be  he  a  private  citizen  or  public  offi 
cial,  I  have  no  quarrel  with  him.  No  man  shall 
ever  accuse  me  of  denying  to  another  what  I  claim 
for  myself." 

I  had  missed  my  point.  There  was  no  room 
to  doubt  his  sincerity,  and  as  I  looked  into  his 
steady  blue  eyes,  I  saw  behind  them  a  resolute 
and  daring  spirit,  which  would  defy  the  world  if 
need  be,  and  ask  neither  favor  nor  odds. 

"But,  damn  them,  they  can't  use  my  posts 
without  asking  my  permission,"  he  continued 
hotly,  and  then  he  added,  as  if  quickly  repenting 
of  his  outburst:  "Don't  mind  me,  Trenham;  I 
am  an  impatient  man,  at  the  best,  and  just  now 
I  am  entirely  upset.  Everything  is  going  wrong 
about  here.  Like  a  man  walking  on  ice,  I  can't 
tell  when  my  feet  will  slip  from  under  me." 

"Lucky  you'll  be  if  there  is  nothing  tied  to 
your  neck  when  they  do  slip,"  said  I,  encourag 
ingly. 

He  looked  at  me,  half  smiling.     "You  think 


Give  Me  Road,  Sirs  51 

I  stand  a  chance  to  be  hanged,  do  you?  Well, 
don't  worry  about  that;  the  rope  is  not  made 
that  will  hang  Roger  Bellray,"  he  said,  without 
a  quiver. 

"Possibly  not;  but  they  are  making  ropes 
every  day,  and  some  of  these  stay-at-homes  are 
itching  to  use  them." 

"Look  here,  my  lad,  what's  the  matter  with 
you?  Why  do  you  talk  so  grewsomely?  Are 
you  scared?" 

"Why  should  I  be  afraid?"  I  answered.  "I 
will  presently  be  well  out  of  this  if  there  is  no  bad 
luck  lying  in  wait  for  me.  And  as  to  you,  my 
friend,  for  heaven's  sake  be  careful.  I  am  not 
old  enough  or  experienced  enough  to  give  you 
advice,  but  somehow  I  have  felt  for  some  time, 
and  now  more  strongly  than  ever,  that  dangers 
here  are  increasing." 

"Tush!  You  have  heard  the  barking  of  a  lot 
of  coon  hounds  who  only  fill  the  air  with  their 
yelping.  And  then,  what  do  I  care  for  danger?" 
he  cried.  "It  only  gives  relish  to  life,  which  is 
dull  and  commonplace  without  it.  You  prefer 
the  field  as  I  did  at  your  age,  but  now  I  would 
rather  be  a  conspirator,  quietly  contriving  with 
others  to  uphold  a  principle  or  defend  a  right, 
with  the  halter  as  the  penalty  for  failure.  It  gives 
to  your  actions  a  keener  zest,  and  sharpens  every 
waking  hour,  aye,  and  most  of  your  sleeping  ones, 
with  the  possibility  of  discovery  before  you  are 


52  The  Legionaries 

ready  to  act.  You  can  not  be  certain  of  friend 
or  foe,  and  the  man  on  whom  you  most  rely  may 
be  the  first  to  betray  you . ' ' 

"Indeed,"  said  I,  "it  is  a  game  not  at  all  to 
my  liking." 

"Compared  with  it,"  he  rejoined,  "your  shoot 
ing  and  carving  is  but  a  vulgar  sport.  Mind  you, 
I  do  not  say  that  I  am  a  conspirator;  I  do  not 
hold  myself  to  be  such,  but  people  give  different 
names  to  the  same  thing.  One  who  marks  out  a 
course  for  himself  counter  to  that  pursued  by  the 
majority,  as  I  have,  must  proceed  cautiously  to 
avoid  conflict,  and  very  often  he  is  driven  to  do 
in  secret  what  he  would  much  prefer  to  do  openly 
and  above  board." 

"And  hence,"  said  I,  "the  institution  of  the 
knightly  Order  of  the  Acorn." 

"Which  you  refused  to  join,  even  after  I  had 
explained  its  purposes.  I  do  not  blame  you  for 
that.  Every  man  must  act  according  to  his 
view."  He  sighed  a  little  disappointedly. 

"Whatever  may  be  your  purposes,  your  organ 
ization,  when  it  is  known,  will  be  held  treasona 
ble.  I  remember  who  is  governor  here,  and  I 
do  not  care  to  put  my  head  in  this  lion's  mouth. 
He  may  do  no  roaring,  but  he  will  strike.  Besides, 
you  and  these  others  and  myself  are  on  a  differ 
ent  footing  altogether.  You  belong  here  and  I 
can  not  feel  that  I  do,  and  so  refuse  to  mix  in 
your  local  disagreements.  As  I  understand  it, 


Give  Me  Road,  Sirs  53 

you  do  not  favor  the  war  from  any  standpoint, 
while  I,  upon  the  issue  as  I  see  it,  am  with  the 
South  and  can't  help  it.  I  am  going  to  join  Mor 
gan,  if  I  can  reach  him,  and  he  will  give  me  at 
least  plenty  of  exercise." 

"Yes,  and  plenty  of  fighting,  too,  and  luck  be 
with  you ;  I  knew  him  in  Mexico,  then  a  young 
dare-devil  of  a  lieutenant  of  cavalry,"  said  he, 
warmly.  "As  for  me  and  my  friends,  we  mean 
to  look  out  for  ourselves  and  aid  those  who,  in 
these  terrible  times,  will  need  aid  such  as  we 
hope  to  give,  that's  all.  We  are  just  as  much 
entitled  to  our  opinions  as  anybody  else,  and  the 
fact  that,  without  hope  of  glory,  we  hazard 
everything,  life  and  home  and  honor,  in  defense 
of  these  opinions  should  be  a  sufficient  guaranty 
of  their  sincerity." 

He  stopped  for  a  minute  while  he  lighted  a 
cigar ;  then  he  went  on : 

"This  is  a  fanatics'  war,  as  you  have  often  de 
clared  to  me,  but  the  fanatics  are  not  all  in  the 
North — not  by  a  long  shot.  In  common  with 
thousands  of  others,  I  had  hoped  a  conflict  would 
be  averted,  but  the  fools  in  the  North  and  the 
fools  in  the  South  dug  the  pit  and  expect  us,  who 
had  no  hand  in  the  digging,  to  throw  / 
into  it  so  that  they  can  ride  over  us 
Fourteen  years  ago,  when  a  boy  of  tweri 
carried  a  musket  into  the  City  of  Mexico.  One  of 
Santa  Anna's  bullets  is  still  in  my  body.  And 


54  The  Legionaries 

here,"  he  said,  raising  the  long  mustache  that 
drooped  over  his  left  cheek,  hiding  a  short,  rag 
ged  scar,  "is  where  a  Mexican  bayonet  enlarged 
my  mouth.  I  don't  speak  of  these  things  to  ex 
onerate  myself  from  a  suspicion  of  cowardice,  but 
merely  to  show  that  a  man  may  be  willing  to  fight 
a  foreign  enemy,  yet  remain  a  non-combatant  in 
a  strife  between  his  own  countrymen.  At  any  rate, 
I  shall  be  responsible  for  my  own  conduct ;  what 
ever  risks  I  take  are  my  risks,  and  whatever  end  I 
may  come  to  is  my  end.  In  all  the  wide  world 
there  is  only  one  person  who  will  long  care  what 
may  happen  to  me,  and  that  is  my  sister.  You 
know  howl  love  that  girl,  John.  Since  the  death 
of  our  mother,  ten  years  ago,  I  have  guarded  her 
as  the  very  apple  of  my  eye.  She  was  but  eight 
then,  and  while  I  suppose  she  is  a  woman  now, 
she  is  still  a  child  to  me." 

While  speaking  of  Kate  his  voice  softened,  and 
both  words  and  manner  indicated  profound  affec 
tion  and  solicitude. 

"She  is  thoroughly  loyal  to  the  government, 
and  if  she  were  of  our  sex  I  verily  believe  there 
would  be  no  keeping  her  out  of  the  army.  At 
times  she  makes  it  rather  uncomfortable  for  me." 

He  paused  for  a  moment,  and  then  continued, 
reflectively:  "I  wonder  how  she  will  act  when 
she  comes  to  know  the  whole  truth  about  me? 
That  is  what  worries  me,  John.  The  only  thing 
that  makes  me  hesitate  to  pursue  the  course  I 


Give  Me  Road,  Sirs  55 

have  chosen  is  the  fear  of  her  reproaches.  When 
I  think  about  that  it  almost  makes  a  coward  of 
me." 

"And  what  will  she  think  of  me?"  I  asked, 
making  a  pretense  of  unconcern  by  taking  up  and 
examining  one  of  the  pistols  that  I  had  laid 
upon  the  table.  But  I  could  not  as  easily  disguise 
my  feelings,  and  was  conscious  that  my  voice 
carried  a  tone  of  uneasiness.  As  he  did  not  make 
immediate  answer  I  lifted  my  eyes  and  found  him 
looking  at  me  intently.  Then  I  could  not  wait 
for  him  to  speak. 

"Mr.  Bellray,"  said  I,  with  shaking  voice,  and 
not  as  connectedly,  I  fear,  as  I  here  set  down 
my  words,  "since  I  may  not  see  you  again — and, 
at  best,  will  not  see  you  .soon — it  is  just  as  well 
that  I  tell  you  how  matters  stand  with  me.  I  love 
Kate;  I  have  never  told  her  so,  and  now  may 
never  have  an  opportunity  to  tell  her,  but  I  love 
her  with  all  my  heart.  If  the  time  ever  comes 
when  I  can  say  this  to  her  she  will  doubtless 
spurn  me  as  unworthy.  She  will  readily  forgive 
you,  her  brother,  but  not  another,  I  fear.  No 
one  knows  better  than  I  how  she  feels,  and  that 
has  prevented  me  from  telling  her  what  I  have 
just  told  you.  If  I  survive,  it  may  be  that  she 
will  not  be  too  hard  on  me;  if  I  do  not — well, 
tell  her  how  I  tried  to  persuade  myself  to  do  as 
she  wanted  me  to  do." 

I  turned  away  my  face  to  hide  its  burning,  af- 


56  The  Legionaries 

fecting  some  excuse,  for  I  was  young  and  not 
practiced  in  such  avowals. 

"You  know  that  I  have  always  thought  well  of 
you,  John,"  he  said.  "If  I  did  not  think  so  now 
I  would  be  quick  enough  to  tell  you.  You  say 
you  have  never  spoken  to  Kate,  but  I  can  easily 
guess  how  she  feels  toward  you.  And  I  very 
much  mistake  her  spirit  if  it  does  not  happen  that 
she  will  think  in  the  end  vastly  more  of  you  for 
following  your  convictions  than  she  would  if  you 
should  for  any  reason,  least  of  all  to  satisfy  her, 
act  the  part  of  a  sneak  and  hypocrite  by  believing 
one  thing  and  doing  another." 

I  took  his  hand,  and,  pressing  it  fervently, 
thanked  him  for  what  he  had  said,  for  it  had 
done  me  good.  He  looked  at  his  watch  and  rose 
to  go. 

"Now,  my  boy,  since  you  have  determined  to 
leave  so  summarily  I  must  not  detain  you,  as  you 
will  have  to  make  your  farewells  to  your  mother. 
As  to  her — and  it  is  one  reason  why  I  came  to 
night — her  safety  shall  be  my  responsibility. 
Honestly,  however,  I  believe  that  you  need  fear 
nothing  on  her  account.  There  are  plenty  of  fel 
lows  about  here  who  would  get  after  you  or  me, 
but  they  are  not  likely  to  war  with  a  woman.  I 
think  I  am  justified  in  putting  that  to  their  credit 
in  advance." 

I  followed  him  out  of  the  house,  and  saw  him 
mount  his  horse  and  ride  away  in  the  moonlight, 


Give  Me  Road,  Sirs  57 

alert  and  confident.  He  was  the  sort  of  man  who 
would  flinch  from  no  danger,  if,  through  the 
peril,  lay  the  road  to  an  object  which  he  was  bent 
on  accomplishing. 

His  courage  fed  on  antagonism,  and  the  more 
he  was  opposed  the  more  aggressive  he  became. 
An  opinion  entertained  at  first  in  a  casual  way 
became,  if  combated,  a  settled  conviction  which 
he  would  thenceforth  maintain  at  all  hazards  so 
long  as  it  was  made  the  subject  of  dispute. 

Stern  and  uncompromising  as  to  those  things 
in  which  he  believed,  he  was  yet  tolerant  of  the 
rights  of  others,  and  had  acquired  a  wide  influ 
ence  in  all  the  surrounding  country,  which,  while 
it  afforded  him  a  sort  of  protection,  was  also 
destined  to  be  the  cause  of  his  undoing.  j 

Returning  into  the  house,  I  finished  my  prepa 
rations,  aided  by  my  mother,  who,  dear  woman, 
acted  most  nobly.  And  when  at  last  Peter 
brought  around  my  horse,  a  splendid  animal  of 
great  speed  and  endurance,  which  I  depended 
upon  to  carry  me  into  the  Confederate  lines,  and 
to  serve  me  afterward,  she  smiled  as  she  kissed 
me,  as  if  she  could  conceal  from  me  the  knowl 
edge  that  her  poor  heart  was  on  the  point  of 
breaking. 

But  it  was  not  in  her  nature  to  part  from  me 
thus.  She  overestimated  her  strength  of  will, 
and  at  the  last  minute  broke  down  and  wept 
and  clung  to  me  as  if  she  would  not  give  me  up. 


58  The  Legionaries 

After  a  time  she  controlled  her  feelings  and  bade 
me  good-bye  with  composure,  but  the  picture  of 
her  distress  was  in  my  mind  for  many  a  day. 

My  calculation  was,  by  easy  traveling,  to  reach 
Louisville  early  on  the  following  morning,  my 
further  progress  to  be  guided  by  circumstances, 
and  by  such  information  as  I  could  there  procure 
from  Colonel  Mandrell.  I  apprehended  no  dan 
ger  in  making  the  twenty-five  miles  that  lay  be 
tween  my  mother's  house  and  the  Kentucky  me 
tropolis. 

Yet  I  did  not  forget  that  the  whole  country 
was  aroused  over  the  reported  proximity  of  the 
Confederate  army.  Many  of  the  country  peo 
ple  believed  that  it  was  even  then  besieging 
Louisville,  while  still  others,  equally  ill-informed 
but  more  fearful,  had  it  that  that  city  had  al 
ready  fallen  before  the  rebel  assault,  and  that  In 
diana  was  to  be  immediately  invaded  and  laid 
waste.  Such  rumors  as  these  were  already  cur 
rent,  and  the  governor's  order  assembling  the  le 
gionaries,  and  commanding  all  of  military  age  to 
prepare  for  active  duty  in  repelling  invasion  would 
add  fuel  to  the  fire  of  unrest  and  alarm  that  was 
consuming  all  the  borderland. 

By  traveling  at  night  I  might  be  saved  the  an 
noyance  of  many  awkward  questions,  even  if  I 
should  subject  myself  to  suspicion  from  such  as  I 
might,  by  chance,  pass  or  overtake  on  the  road. 
But  these  I  reckoned  would  be  few,  since  the 


Give  Me  Road,  Sirs  59 

country  was  not  yet  regularly  patrolled  as  it  was 
very  soon  afterward.  No  doubt,  however,  as  to 
my  ability  to  satisfy  all  inquiries  and  disarm  the 
over-curious  possessed  me. 

I  exulted  in  my  new  freedom,  and  as  I  rode 
along,  expanding  my  chest  with  the  sweet  night 
air,  the  spirit  of  adventure  rose  within  me,  and  I 
felt  equal  to  any  fate.  Excepting  my  pistols,  I  was 
unarmed,  for  I  did  not  yet  desire  to  assume  too 
much  of  a  war-like  appearance,  my  purpose  be 
ing  to  make  my  way  as  quietly  as  possible,  as 
any  citizen  might  do  whose  mission  was  peaceful. 

I  had  covered  the  first  few  miles  of  my 
journey  without  any  kind  of  interruption,  and 
was  congratulating  myself  on  the  good  fortune 
that  this  fact  seemed  to  augur,  when,  far  down 
the  road  ahead  of  me,  I  heard  badly-attuned 
voices  of  men  raised  in  song.  At  first  I  could 
not  tell  whether  the  singers  were  going  from  or 
coming  toward  me,  but  very  soon  I  knew  that 
they  were  approaching.  Now  and  then  one 
would  withdraw  his  attention  from  the  chorus 
long  enough  to  shout  long  and  loud,  without  any 
other  apparent  object  than  that  of  testing  the 
power  of  his  lungs.  Presently  they  came  close 
enough  for  me  to  make  out  the  words  of  the 
composition. 

"We'll  hang  Jeff  Davis  on  a  sour  apple  tree," 


60  The  Legionaries 

ran  the  line  of  the  chorus,  which  was  three  times 
repeated;  then  came  the  roaring  final  line, 

"As  we  go  marching  on." 

After  this  there  was  a  brief  period  of  loud  talk 
ing,  a  little  more  shouting,  and  then  the  singing 
of  the  following  improvisation,  to  the  same  tune: 

"We're  going  down  to  Louisville  to  meet  old  Gen 
eral  Bragg, 

And  in  the  fight,  if  he  wants  one,  you'll  see  none  of 
us  lag, 

And  we'll  drive  him  back  to  Tennessee,  behind  his 
dirty  flag, 

As  we  go  marching  on." 

We  approached  each  other  rapidly,  but  so  in 
terested  were  they  in  their  singing  and  shouting  that 
they  did  not  observe  me  until  I  had  started  to  turn 
aside  to  give  them  the  road.  There  were  three 
of  them,  roystering  young  farmers  returning  home 
from  drill  with  the  legionaries,  I  conjectured,  and 
half  intoxicated.  Seeing  me  they  checked  their 
horses,  and  one  of  them  called  out  tipsily  in  his 
newly  acquired  military  phrase : 

"Halt!      Who  goes  there?" 

"A  friend,"  said  I,  falling  into  his  humor. 

"Why,"  said  another  of  the  three,  "damned  if 
it  ain't  the  young  Virginny  fellow,  boys,  who 
lives  over  there  by  Roger  Bellray,  the  butternut; 
the  one  that  I  was  telling  you  about." 


Give  Me  Road,  Sirs  61 

"Mebbe  you  can  trade  horses  with  him,  Spel- 
ker,"  said  the  first  speaker,  laughing  good  na- 
turedly. 

They  blocked  the  road,  and  as  I  was  anxious 
to  proceed  and  did  not  like  the  voice  of  the  one 
called  Spelker,  who  was  much  older  in  appear 
ance  than  his  two  companions,  I  determined  to 
make  the  interview  a  short  one. 

"Give  me  road,  gentlemen,  and  allow  me  to 
pass,"  I  said. 

But  Spelker  was  not  through  yet.  I  recog 
nized  in  him  a  horse  buyer  who  was  said  to  prac 
tice  swindling  operations  at  the  expense  of  the 
government,  and  he  appeared  bent  on  extending 
his  acquaintance. 

"I  believe  you  are  running  off  to  join  the  se- 
cesh,"  he  said,  riding  his  horse  up  to  mine 
menacingly. 

"I  am  pursuing  my  way  peacefully,"  I  an 
swered,  though  my  temper  was  rising  at  his  inso 
lence,  "and  desire  to  be  allowed  to  proceed." 

"Well,  there's  no  hurry,  I  guess;  I  want  to 
ask  you  a  few  questions  first,  and  then  mebbe  we 
will  let  you  go  on,  and  mebbe  we  won't." 

Reaching  out  his  hand  he  caught  hold  of  my 
bridle  rein.  I  restrained  an  impulse  to  strike  the 
fellow,  and  asked:  "By  what  authority  do  you 
question  me?" 

"Just  because  I  want  to;  that:s  authority 
enough  for  me." 


62  The  Legionaries 

"But  it  is  not  for  me,"  said  I,  by  this  time 
having,  without  attracting  his  attention,  possessed 
myself  of  one  of  my  pistols,  "and  I  decline  to  be 
questioned.  Take  your  hand  from  my  rein,  sir." 

"My  young  rooster,  I'll  have  to  clip  your  comb 
for  you,"  he  cried,  raising  the  butt  of  his  heavy 
riding  whip  threateningly. 

Before  it  could  descend  I  leaned  quickly  out 
and  struck  him  full  on  the  side  of  the  head  with 
the  heavy  pistol,  at  the  same  instant  driving  home 
my  spurs.  My  horse  sprung  forward,  and  as  I 
raced  along  I  heard  the  curses  of  Spelker,  which 
were  answered  by  the  derisive  laughter  of  his 
companions,  from  which  I  judged  that  they  were 
not  sorry  for  his  discomfiture. 


I   STRUCK    HIM    FULL    ON    THE   SIDE    OK   THE    HEAD   WITH 
THE   HEAVY   PISTOL."     page  62. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE   THIRD    ONE   AT   MANDRELL'S 

WITHOUT  further  incident  I  reached  about 
daybreak  the  town  of  New  Albany,  a  few  miles 
down  the  river  from  Louisville.  Here  the  heights 
were  ominous  with  heavy  cannon,  which  frowned 
over  the  fords  and  lowlands  from  hastily  con 
structed  fortifications,  and  told  of  the  prepara 
tions  that  were  being  made  to  receive  the  in 
vader  and  hurl  him  back  if  he  should  attempt 
to  cross  the  river.  Many  citizens  were  already 
stirring,  but  little  attention  was  bestowed  upon 
me.  In  response  to  an  inquiry  for  news,  I  was 
told  that  the  rebel  general,  Bragg,  was  expected 
before  Louisville  at  any  hour,  as  he  had,  my  in 
formant  understood,  the  evening  before  sent  for 
ward  a  message  demanding  the  surrender  of  that 
city. 

Following  the  road  leading  eastward,  parallel 
with  the  north  bank  of  the  Ohio  but  separated 
from  it  by  some  hundreds  of  yards,  I  saw,  as  I 
went  along,  groups  of  armed  men  here  and  there 
gazing  anxiously  southward.  Scattered  among 
them  and  occupying  positions  of  vantage  for 
(63) 


64  The  Legionaries 

sight-seeing  were  early-risen  residents  of  the 
locality,  who,  if  less  warlike  in  appearance  than 
the  others,  were  no  less  concerned. 

I  could  see  them  excitedly  talking  and  gestic 
ulating  and  pointing  frequently  across  the  broad 
river  that  lay  between  them  and  the  yet  unseen 
rebel  host,  its  bosom  alive  with  every  kind  of 
craft  capable  of  carrying  guns.  But  it  was  in 
front  of  them,  and  not  behind,  that  the  danger 
lay,  so  I  passed  on  and  reached  the  Louisville 
ferry  without  molestation  or  question.  Hav 
ing  marked  out  my  course,  I  proceeded  boldly, 
with  no  hesitation  or  visible  timidity,  though  I 
confess  to  a  feeling  of  disquietude. 

When  the  boat  had  tied  up  on  the  Kentucky 
side  an  officer  with  two  or  three  men  came  aboard 
before  any  were  allowed  to  land.  The  passengers 
were  not  many,  consisting  principally  of  garden 
ers  and  hucksters  bringing  provisions  into  the 
beleagured  city  who  were  vouched  for  by  the 
ferryman  as  regular  patrons.  I  observed  that  the 
officer  performed  his  duty  somewhat  perfunctorily 
as  though  it  were  a  useless  formality,  and  felt  re 
lieved.  My  turn  to  be  questioned  came,  the 
officer  first  demanding  to  know  my  name. 

"John  Trenham,  sir,"  said  I,  looking  him  in 
the  face.  There  was  a  sudden,  almost  imper 
ceptible  contracting  of  his  eyelids,  but  no  other 
change  in  his  features. 


The  Third  One  at  Mandrell's     65 

"From  where  do  you  come,  Mr.  Trenham?" 
he  next  asked,  placidly. 

"From  my  mother's  home,  near  Corydon."  If 
I  had  said  that  I  came  from  the  moon  his  coun 
tenance  would,  I  am  certain,  have  given  no  sign 
of  surprise. 

"Why  are  you  coming  to  Louisville?" 

"To  fight,  sir,"  I  said,  "if  I  get  a  chance," 
meaning  to  satisfy  and  yet  deceive  my  interrog 
ator  by  telling  him  the  simple  truth.  In  both 
of  these  respects  I  felt  that  I  had  succeeded,  for 
he  told  me  without  further  ado  that  I  could  go  on 
my  way,  which  I  lost  no  time  in  doing. 

Once  within  the  city  I  found  that  even  at  this 
early  hour  great  activity  and  excitement  pre 
vailed  in  the  streets  and  public  places.  It  seemed 
that  all  of  the  inhabitants  had  been  abroad  for 
hours,  if  indeed  they  had  sought  their  beds  at  all 
during  the  previous  night.  The  shops  and  stores 
were  closed  and  shuttered,  and  business  of  all 
kinds  was  suspended.  Upon  every  face  there 
was  a  look  of  expectancy,  and  many  hot  eyes 
showed  dread  as  of  an  impending  calamity. 

At  places  where  there  was  open  ground,  squads 
of  men  in  citizens'  clothes  were  marching  and 
maneuvering  at  the  command  of  drill-masters, 
who  were  in  most  instances  in  uniform,  while 
standing  about  watching  them,  silent  and  lower 
ing,  were  still  other  citizens. 
5 — LEGIONARIES. 


66  The  Legionaries 

Between  the  drillers  and  the  on-lookers  there 
was,  I  knew,  a  wide  and  bitter  difference  of  opin 
ion,  and  but  for  the  restraining  presence  of  the  sol 
diery  with  which  the  city  was  filled  they  would 
willingly  have  flown  at  each  other's  throats.  For 
this  was  a  border  metropolis  which  embraced 
within  its  walls  a  population  sharply  divided  be 
tween  loyalists  and  disunionists,  but  now  it  was 
in  control  of  the  national  authorities  who  were 
preparing  to  hold  it  against  the  threatened  at 
tack  of  the  Confederate  general. 

I  sought  a  hotel,  and  stabling  my  horse  near  by, 
determined  to  spend  the  day  quietly,  and  did  so, 
for  the  most  part  staying  in  my  room  and  getting 
sleep  and  rest  that  might  stand  me  well.  Not 
knowing  how  matters  might  be  with  him,  I  made 
no  effort  throughout  the  day  to  communicate  with 
Colonel  Mandrell,  who,  be  it  understood,  was  not 
now  a  military  officer  as  his  title  might  imply. 

He  had  commanded  a  regiment  with  distinc 
tion  in  the  last  war.  Now  he  was  not  only  out  of 
favor  with  the  national  government  but  was  be 
lieved,  with  reason,  to  hold  intimate  relations 
with  the  secessionists.  So  far  no  act  justifying 
his  arrest  had  been  traced  to  him,  and  he  had 
gone  in  and  out  unhampered  and  defiant.  I 
deemed  it  wise,  however,  to  take  no  unnecessary 
chances,  and  did  not  set  out  for  his  house  until 
well  after  darkness  had  fallen. 

A  walk  of  a  half  a  mile  or  thereabout  carried 


The  Third  One  at  Mandrell's     67 

me  beyond  the  blocks  of  business  houses  and  into 
a  residence  district,  upon  which  the  needs  of  trade 
had  not  then  encroached.  Turning  into  the  street 
upon  which  the  Mandrell  residence  was  situated, 
I  quickened  my  steps  and  soon  reached  an  iron 
gate  opening  upon  the  lawn  surrounding  a  large 
brick  mansion  of  old  fashion,  standing  well  back 
from  the  street.  Lifting  the  latch  I  went  in,  and, 
observing  nothing  unusual,  strode  confidently  up 
to  the  door  and  rang  the  bell  loudly. 

I  was  not  kept  waiting  long,  for  the  reverbera 
tions  of  the  bell  had  not  died  away  when  the  door 
was  opened  and  a  young  man  of  attractive  visage, 
standing  within  the  glare  of  the  hall  lamp,  bade 
me  enter.  This  surprised  me  not  a  little,  as  I  had 
expected  to  see  the  face  of  a  negro  servant  of  the 
house,  but  I  accepted  the  invitation  and  entered. 
Following  the  young  man  into  the  parlor,  I  asked 
if  I  could  see  Colonel  Mandrell. 

"I  fear  not,"  he  responded,  smiling  pleasantly. 
"Colonel  Mandrell  has  felt,  let  us  say,  obliged, 
temporarily  to  depart  from  his  comfortable 
house."  Here  he  waved  his  hand  about  as  if  di 
recting  my  attention  to  the  luxurious  appoint 
ments  of  the  room. 

"Indeed,"  said  I,  still  more  surprised;  "you 
are  a  friend  of  the  family,  I  suppose?" 

"Well,  not  exactly  so ;  to  tell  the  truth — and 
no  good  can  come  from  deceiving  you — I  have  no 


68  The  Legionaries 

acquaintance  with  the  Colonel's  family,  which  I 
understand  to  be  a  very  estimable  one." 

"Then,  pray,  sir,  may  I  ask  in  what  capacity  I 
am  to  address  you  in  making  my  further  inquir 
ies?"  said  I,  feeling  nettled,  and  yet  conscious 
that  no  cause  for  offense  had  been  given. 

"In  the  capacity,  I  should  say,"  he  returned, 
still  smiling,  "of  an  unwelcome  guest  who,  in 
pursuance  of  orders,  has  been  compelled  to  intrude 
himself  into  a  house  upon  which  he  has  no  claims 
to  hospitality." 

I  must  have  looked  the  amazement  I  felt  upon 
hearing  this  confession,  smoothly  made  and  ac 
companied  by  a  bow  as  graceful  as  that  of  a 
dancing  master. 

"This  is  most  extraordinary,  sir,"  I  exclaimed, 
"and  as  a  friend  of  Colonel  Mandrell,  as  well  as 
of  his  wife  and  daughters,  I  must  demand  of  you 
an  explanation  of  this  very  unusual  state  of  af 
fairs." 

The  young  man  was  not  in  the  least  ruffled  or 
abashed  by  my  vehemence,  and  politely  asked  me 
to  be  seated,  for  I  had  so  far  remained  standing. 

"I  can  not  accept  courtesies  from  you,"  I 
said,  impatiently,  "which  should  come  from 
those  who  rightfully  belong  here.  Perhaps  you 
can  tell  me  whether  any  member  of  Colonel  Man- 
drell's  family  is  in  the  house?" 

"Believe  me,  sir,"  he  made  answer,  "I  sin 
cerely  regret  to  tell  you  that  neither  Mrs.  Man- 


The  Third  One  at  Mandrell's     69 

drell  nor  either  of  the  Misses  Mandrell — for  I 
understand  there  are  two — is  present  to  greet 
you.  In  their  absence  I  must  do  the  best  I  can, 
and  what  I  lack  in  grace  and  cordiality  I  shall  en 
deavor  to  make  up  in  other  qualities  which  will 
doubtless  commend  me  to  my  superiors." 

"Then,"  I  said,  with  a  feeling  of  danger  which, 
though  vague  at  first,  was  rapidly  taking  definite 
form,  "in  the  absence  of  the  persons  whom  I 
came  to  see  there  is  nothing  for  me  to  do  but  to 
take  my  departure." 

I  turned  as  if  to  go,  with  the  almost  certain 
knowledge  that  I  should  not  be  allowed  to  do  so. 
To  test  the  situation  I  took  a  step  across  the  floor 
in  the  direction  of  the  door. 

"You  will  pardon  me,  sir,"  said  the  unbidden 
guest  in  the  same  pleasant  tones  that  he  had  used 
from  the  beginning  of  the  interview,  "but  a  duty 
which  I  owe  to  those  who  are  taking  an  interest 
in  Colonel  Mandrell's  friends  while  he  is  away  re 
quires  me  to  detain  you." 

It  was  clear  to  me  that  I  was  a  prisoner  in  the 
house  in  which  I  had  expected  to  be  welcomed  in 
quite  different  fashion. 

"You  mean  to  say  that  I  am  now  under  ar 
rest,"  I  returned  quietly  enough  but  in  a  voice 
hard  and  grating  with  the  anger  I  was  trying  to 
repress.  "You  have  first  driven  out,  or  possibly 
imprisoned,  the  owner  of  this  house  and  his  fam- 


70  The  Legionaries 

ily,  and  then  hidden  yourself  here  to  entrap  his 
visitors." 

"I  did  not  say  that  you  were  under  arrest,"  he 
protested,  deprecatingly ;  "what  I  said,  was,  that 
my  duty  required  me  to  detain  you.  Possibly 
you  can  satisfy  Captain  Bracken  that  your  deten 
tion  is  unjust;  if  so,  it  will  give  me  great  pleas 
ure  to  show  you  to  the  door  and  bid  you  good 
night." 

' '  And  where  may  I  find  this  Captain  Bracken  ? ' ' 
I  asked,  curiosity  now  keeping  company  with  my 
fears,  for  though  I  had  not  seen  the  Captain,  I 
had  heard  much  about  him  from  Roger  Bellray. 

"If  you  will  do  me  the  honor  to  follow  me," 
said  he,  with  unshaken  imperturbability,  "I  will 
take  you  to  him  at  once.  There  is  no  disposi 
tion  to  delay  you  longer  than  may  be  necessary." 

He  walked  out  of  the  room  into  the  hall,  where 
I  saw  that,  as  I  had  suspected,  the  door  was 
guarded  by  a  man  with  a  musket,  who  was  no 
doubt  there  when  I  entered,  but  concealed  from 
my  view  by  the  heavy  curtain  of  the  vestibule 
window.  My  guide  led  me  down  the  corridor  to 
a  room  that  I  distinctly  remembered  as  having 
been  Colonel  Mandrell's  library. 

The  door  was  opened,  and  I  went  in  in  ad 
vance  of  my  conductor.  The  only  change  that  I 
noticed  in  the  room  was  in  the  occupant.  In  the 
place  of  the  tall  form  and  iron-gray  head  of  the 
owner  of  the  house  there  was  a  sun-browned 


The  Third  One  at  Mandrell's     71 

man  of  medium  size,  with  a  stubby,  dark  mus 
tache.  He  was  possibly  forty  years  old  and  had 
more  the  appearance  and  manner  of  a  sergeant  of 
police  than  of  a  military  man.  This  man  was 
sitting  in  an  easy  chair  by  a  table  and  seemed 
to  be  enjoying  his  comfortable  surroundings.  As 
I  was  ushered  into  his  presence  he  looked  up 
keenly. 

"The  third  one,  McGrane,"  he  said,  inspect 
ing  me  but  addressing  his  subordinate.  "They 
are  coming  early,  and  quite  regularly,  too.  Thank 
you,  lieutenant;  you  need  not  stay.  Now,  sir," 
speaking  to  me,  "you  may  be  seated,  if  you 
wish." 

"I  prefer  to  stand  until  I  know  the  nature  of 
the  business  you  have  with  me,"  I  answered, 
shortly. 

"As  you  please,  of  course,"  he  returned,  "but 
I  rather  like  to  sit  down  when  I  get  a  chance,  and 
that's  not  often  in  these  days."  He  eyed  me 
closely  and  then  added :  "I  don't  believe  I  have 
seen  you  recently,  Mr.  Trenham." 

"And  I,  although  you  have  my  name,  have  no 
recollection  of  ever  having  seen  you  at  all  until 
now,"  I  said,  annoyed  by  his  manner,  "and  my 
pleasure  in  meeting  you  is  one  that  I  should  will 
ingly  have  foregone." 

"Which  proves  how  little  we  are  appreciated 
by  those  upon  whom  we  bestow  even  our  choicest 
attentions,"  he  rejoined,  smiling  grimly. 


72  The  Legionaries 

Although  both  Lieutenant  McGrane  and  Cap 
tain  Bracken  had  so  far  treated  me  with  great 
civility,  my  position  was  becoming  more  and 
more  unbearable. 

"Captain  Bracken,"  I  demanded  somewhat 
warmly,  putting  on  a  bold  front,  "I  desire  to  be 
informed  why  I,  a  friend  of  Colonel  Mandrell,  am 
thus  detained  in  his  house  by  strangers?" 

"I  think  it  is  very  likely  because  you  are  a 
friend  of  the  Colonel,"  he  answered.  "You 
may  or  may  not  know  that  he  has  suddenly  left 
his  house — I  should  judge  from  your  conduct 
that  you  did  not  know  until  told  by  Lieutenant 
McGrane — but  such  appears  to  be  the  fact.  As 
to  the  cause  of  his  leaving,  why,  you  may  possi 
bly  have  a  suspicion." 

As  I  was  in  a  fair  way  at  last  to  be  enlight 
ened  I  maintained  silence,  and  he  went  on: 

"Where  he  is  now  I  do  not  know,  but  should 
like  to.  He  probably  has  not  left  the  city,  for 
that  would  be  a  very  difficult  thing  for  him  to  do ; 
and  if  I  or  any  of  my  men  lay  hands  on  him  his 
stay  here  will  be — well,  at  least  indefinite. 
Now,  sir,  what  have  you  to  say  for  yourself  ?" 

His  manner  changed  abruptly,  and  I  knew  he 
had  come  to  the  point  at  last. 

"Of  what  am  I  accused  ?"  I  asked.  "Until  I 
know  that,  I  can  say  nothing." 

"That  is  a  proper  question  for  you  to  ask, 
and  perhaps  you  could  also  answer  it  easier 


The  Third  One  at  Mandrell's     73 

than  I.  But  let  me  state  the  charge  this  way: 
As  Colonel  Mandrell's  friend  by  your  own  ad 
mission  you  visit  his  house  on  the  evening  ap 
pointed  for  the  gathering  of  a  few  friends  of  the 
Confederacy,  their  purpose  being  to  devise  ways 
and  means  to  assist  General  Bragg  in  getting  into 
the  city.  Such  a  meeting,  you  will  acknowl 
edge,  could  not  be  overlooked  by  those  who  are 
interested  in  keeping  General  Bragg  out." 

"I  know  nothing  of  this  gathering,"  said  I, 
truthfully.  "I  arrived  in  Louisville  this  day,  and 
have  not  seen  Colonel  Mandrell  since — ' ' 

"Since  the  night  of  the  1 4th  day  of  August," 
he  said,  interrupting  me;  "that  being  a  Sun 
day  night  when  many  good  people  were  at 
church.  But  our  friend  had  quite  a  good  con 
gregation  of  his  own,  eh  ?  Among  this  congre 
gation,  as  you  will  doubtless  remember,  were 
representatives  from  at  least  two  societies,  one  of 
them  called  the  Corps  de  Belg^q^te,  or  some  such 
nonsense,  and  the  other  that  somewhat  more  ex 
tensive  and  not  less  pestiferous  organization  with 
which  your  friend — for  so  I  take  him  to  be — 
Roger  Bellray,  is  unfortunately  supposed  to  be 
too  actively  connected.  You  see  that  I  am  open 
ing  my  mind  to  you  in  a  most  unofficial  way." 

"Well  ?"  said  I,  as  he  paused. 

"Is  that  all  the  defense  you  desire  to  make  ?" 
he  questioned. 

"In  all  that  you  have  said  there  is  yet  no  ac- 


74  The  Legionaries 

cusation  against  me  of  violating  any  law,"  I  re 
sponded,  "and  I  demand  that  I  be  allowed  to 
depart." 

"You  are  exceedingly  hard  to  satisfy,  my 
young  friend,  and  are  either  very  innocent  or 
very  deep;  hang  me  if  I  know  which,  to  be 
honest  with  you,"  he  said,  showing  some  per 
plexity.  "But  it  is  my  duty  to  send  you  to 
headquarters  on  a  charge  of  conspiring  against 
the  government.  That  will  suffice  to  detain  you, 
for  you  can  see  how  impossible  it  is,  Mr.  Tren- 
ham,  that  you  should  be  released  to-night.  Be 
pleased  to  remain  where  you  are  while  I  call 
McGrane.  The  windows  ?  Yes,  since  you  ob 
serve  them,  I  may  say  that  they  are  guarded. 
Your  life  will  be  in  less  peril,  for  the  present,  by 
staying  where  you  are." 

He  went  out,  closing  the  door  behind  him 
and  locking  it.  Then  something  happened  that 
he  plainly  did  not  expect.  I  stood  in  my 
tracks  until  satisfied  that  he  had  gone  away  from 
the  door;  then,  losing  not  an  instant  of  time, 
I  stepped  softly  to  the  side  of  the  room  where 
several  cases  filled  with  books  occupied  all  of  the 
wall  save  a  space  of  three  or  four  inches  that  for 
some  reason  had  been  left  between  them. 

Stopping  before  the  second  case,  counting  from 
the  left  hand  wall,  I  thrust  one  hand  between  it*' 
and  the  next  case  on  the  right  and  found  a  groove 
into  which  I  inserted  my  fingers.     Pulling  stoutly, 


The  Third  One  at  Mandrell's     75 

the  case  moved  outward  at  that  side  until  there 
was  room  enough  forme  to  get  behind  it.  There 
I  found  a  door  opening  into  a  space  within  as  I 
had  been  advised.  Opening  the  door,  I  hurried 
through  and  pulled  the  bookcase  into  its  former 
position,  taking  pains  to  adjust  a  stout  hook  by 
which  the  case  would  be  held  securely  in  place 
against  the  wall. 

I  was  now  in  Stygian  blackness,  standing,  as  I 
knew,  in  a  small  closet  built  between  the  walls. 
From  this  closet  led  a  narrow  flight  of  steps  stop 
ping  in  a  little  passage  at  the  bottom  which  had 
originally  afforded  an  entrance  to  the  cellar.  But 
more  than  that,  it  gave  access  to  another  sub 
surface  passage  made  of  thick  timbers  in  the  long 
gone  days  when  the  pioneers  resorted  to  secret 
devices  in  order  to  escape,  in  a  last  extremity, 
the  torch  and  the  tomahawk  of  the  Indian. 

A  frontier  blockhouse  once  stood  on  this  spot, 
and  from  beneath  it  had  run  this  road  to  possible 
liberty  and  life.  Here  Colonel  Mandrell's  father, 
when  he  came  to  erect  the  present  house,  had 
found  it,  and  here  he  had  allowed  it  to  remain 
through  respect  for  the  hardy  settlers  who  had 
made  it,  and  gratitude  for  a  service  it  had  ren 
dered.  For  it  was  a  matter  of  family  history  that 
by  this  means  his  own  mother,  among  others,  had 
found  safety  while  howling  savages  danced  around 
the  burning  building  overhead. 

But  while  the  elder  Mandrell  suffered  the  un- 


76  The  Legionaries 

derground  way  to  remain  he  did  not  leave  it  en 
tirely  undisturbed.  It  pleased  his  somewhat  ec 
centric  fancy  to  connect  it  with  that  part  of  the 
new  house  most  frequented  by  himself — the 
library, — where  were  his  books,  and  the  cellar, 
where  was  his  choice  store  of  liquors,  and  also 
with  the  substantial  stable  that  he  had  erected 
upon  his  premises  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
fine  horses  which,  next  to  his  family,  his  books 
and  his  liquors,  gave  him  his  chief  delight.  I 
did  not  know  how  much  it  had  been  used,  but 
this  I  did  know,  that  the  cellar  entrance  had  been 
bricked  up  and  effectually  concealed,  as  had  also 
the  entrance  to  the  lower  part  of  the  stable. 

Being  thus  secure  for  the  time,  and  hidden 
from  observation,  I  determined  to  await  the  re 
turn  to  the  room  of  my  would-be  captors,  with 
the  view  of  possibly  acquiring  information  that 
might  be  of  use  to  me. 

The  man  called  Captain  Bracken  was  an  officer 
in  the  national  secret  service  with  a  wide  repu 
tation.  It  was  known  that  he  was  keen  and  re 
lentless  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  but  it  was 
also  said  of  him  that  he  need  be  feared  only 
by  the  guilty.  And  while  I  was  not  yet,  at  least, 
one  of  that  class — my  guilt  so  far  being  limited 
to  a  purpose  to  join  the  enemies  of  the  govern 
ment  under  which  he  was  working — I  did  not 
want  to  have  my  plans  interrupted  by  submitting 
to  a  detention  that  might  be  prolonged. 


The  Third  One  at  Mandrell's     77 

How  much  he  really  knew  of  me  I  did  not  care ; 
that  he  knew  less  than  he  professed  was  beyond 
question.  On  the  Sunday  night  to  which  he  had 
referred  I  had  visited  Colonel  Mandrell,  but  I 
had  done  so  at  the  request  of  Bellray  without  ex 
pectation  of  meeting  any  person  other  than  the 
Colonel  and  his  family.  And  what  is  more,  I 
had  no  knowledge  of  designs  which  might  not 
be  honorably  entertained  in  time  of  war  by  men 
whose  convictions  were  opposed  to  one  of  the 
parties  to  the  contest,  even  though  that  party  be 
the  Washington  government. 

A  charge  of  conspiracy  against  that  govern 
ment  was  one,  however,  that  I  did  not  desire  to 
face.  It  was  a  charge  now  frequently  made,  as  I 
had  heard,  and  many  men  were  being  held  in 
prison  to  answer  it,  with  still  larger  numbers  in 
this  department  under  the  surveillance  of  Captain 
Bracken  and  his  agents.  It  would  at  least  serve 
to  deprive  me  of  my  liberty  for  a  time,  and 
might  do  more.  As  I  was  not  a  resident  of  the 
city,  but  had  come  into  it  when  the  military,  and 
not  the  civil,  law  was  in  force,  and  had  at  once 
under  cover  of  darkness  visited  a  known  enemy 
of  the  North  who  was  no  doubt  in  friendly  com 
munication  with  the  invading  army,  my  position 
would  be  compromising,  if  not  serious. 

Several  minutes  elapsed  before  anybody  came 
into  the  room  I  had  just  left.  Then  I  heard 
the  voices  of  Bracken  and  McGrane  lifted  in  ex- 


78  The  Legionaries 

clamations  of  surprise  upon  making  the  discovery 
of  my  absence,  both  speaking  at  once,  which  ren 
dered  it  difficult  for  me  to  understand  their  pre 
cise  words.  A  moment  of  bewildered  silence 
followed,  during  which,  I  suppose,  they  were  al 
ternately  looking  at  each  other,  and  taking  a  sur 
vey  of  the  room  after  the  manner  of  human  kind. 
Then  came  the  voice  of  McGrane,  as  suave  and 
care-free  as  if  the  most  pleasing  thing  in  the  world 
had  happened. 

"Ah,  Captain,  our  wingless  bird  has  flown, 
sure  enough — and  such  an  interesting  bird." 

"And  to  think,  McGrane,  that  he  came  to 
fight  if  he  got  a  chance — isn't  that  what  Tapper 
reported  this  morning?  We  meant  to  deprive 
him  of  the  chance,  but  perhaps  it  will  come  to 
him  yet.  Now,  where  did  he  get  out  ?  Look 
sharp!" 

I  heard  them  walking  about  moving  articles  of 
furniture  and  otherwise  making  search  for  the 
place  of  my  egress.  Presently  they  stopped  near 
my  hiding  place. 

"McGrane,"    said    the    Captain,    "he  didn't^ 
leave  by  the  windows,  for  the  guard  is  without  and 
they  are  still  fastened  on  the  inside.     Nor  did  he 
go  through  these  walls,  which  appear  to  be  solid 
enough;    besides,   we  don't   have    houses  now- 
adays  with   hidden   staircases,   secret   passages 
doors  opening  in  impossible  places  on  touching 
concealed  springs,  and  all  that  folderol.       Old 


The  Third  One  at  Mandrell's     79 


Mandrell  is  the  kind  of  a  duck  who  would  like  to 
fool  us  that  way,  but  bosh  !  You  and  I,  Mc- 
Grane,  know  a  thing  or  two.  This  young  man 
went  out  through  the  door,  to  which  doubtless  he 
has  a  duplicate  key,  and  is  yet  somewhere  in  the 
house.  Have  it  searched.  And  he  really  wanted 
a  chance  to  fight;  well,  he  looks  as  if  he  could 
do  it,  and  acted  so,  too." 

"Too  bad  to  spoil  his  chance,  Captain,  isn't 
it  ?"  McGrane  said,  as  he  left  the  room. 

It  was  now  time  for  me  to  act,  as  I  could  a& 
complish  nothing  more  by  staying  longer. 

Going  noiselessly  down  the  steps,  trusting 
more  to  feeling  than  knowledge,  I  carefully  made 
my  way  along  the  passage  until  I  came  to  the 
brick  wall  at  its  end.  Here,  on  the  left,  reach 
ing  out  my  hands,  I  found  a  stout  wooden  door, 
which  I  succeeded  in  opening  without  any  diffi 
culty,  for  it  was  not  locked,  and  seemed  to  serve  the 
single  purpose  of  shutting  off  from  the  house  the 
drafts  and  damps  of  the  outer  passage  into  which 
it  opened.  Before  closing  the  door  I  paused  and 
listened.  Sounds  from  above  came  to  me  muffled 
and  indistinct,  but  they  were  not  of  a  character 
to  tell  me  anything  more. 

Without  waiting  longer  I  went  into  the  outer 
passage  and  groped  along  between  the  damp 
wooden  walls  some  fifty  paces  or  more  to  a  point 
where  it  turned  abruptly  to  the  right.  A  little 
further  on  I  stumbled  upon  a  stairway  leading 


8.o  The  Legionaries 

upward.  I  now  knew  that  I  was  near  the  end  of 
my  underground  journey. 

A  few  steps  upward  brought  me  into  contact 
with  what  proved  to  be  a  trap-door  which  I  judged 
to  be  on  a  level  with  the  ground's  surface.  It  was 
fastened  on  its  under  side,  thus  showing  that  the 
secret  way  was  last  arranged  for  use  from  the 
house  alone.  To  loosen  the  door  was  but  the  work 
of  a  moment,  and  pushing  it  aside  I  went  cau 
tiously  through. 

Although  I  had  never  before  attempted  to 
thread  this  hidden  pathway  I  had  been  told  by 
Colonel  Mandrell,  when  he  made  me  acquainted 
with  its  existence,  that  it  could  be  followed  with 
out  fear  to  the  end.  So,  feeling  about  me  from 
where  I  stood,  my  hands  fell  upon  a  ladder  which 
I  at  once  climbed  until  again  stopped  by  plank 
ing  overhead.  Here  was  a  second  trap-door 
which,  like  the  other,  was  also  fastened  on  the 
underside. 

I  tried  the  heavy  bolt,  but  it  did  not  yield 
readily.  Exerting  more  strength  it  finally  gave 
way,  and  lifting  the  door  a  little  there  came  an 
inrush  of  fresh  air  laden  with  the  grateful  odor  of 
hay.  It  was  like  incense  to  my  nostrils  after 
breathing  the  foul  atmosphere  through  which  I 
had  been  journeying.  Through  a  window  at  the 
side  of  a  spacious  loft  near  me  the  moonlight 
streamed  in  and  enabled  me  to  get  a  tolerable 


The  Third  One  at  Mandrell's     81 

view  of  my  surroundings,  and  see  that  there  was 
nothing  to  cause  alarm. 

Holding  the  trap-door  only  partly  lifted,  I 
listened,  and,  hearing  no  sound  save  that  made 
by  a  horse  crunching  hay  somewhere  below,  I 
raised  it  and  stepped  out  into  the  loft.  For  a 
few  moments  I  stood  looking  about  me.  The 
opening  by  which  I  had  entered  was  in  one  cor 
ner,  and  all  around  was  scattered  loose  hay,  the 
great  bulk  of  the  feed  being  a  little  removed. 

Stooping  to  close  the  trap  I  saw  something 
shining  near  the  top  of  the  ladder,  which  a  closer 
inspection  showed  to  be  the  hilt  of  a  scab- 
barded  sword  hanging  on  the  wall  of  the  secret 
chamber;  near  by  was  a  pair  of  holstered  pis 
tols.  Of  these  I  lost  no  time  in  possessing  myself, 
for  my  own  weapons  I  had  left  in  my  room  at  the 
hotel  and  I  had  no  intention  of  returning  there 
to  claim  them.  Then  replacing  the  door  and 
spreading  the  hay  as  it  had  probably  been  before 
I  disturbed  it  so  as  to  leave  no  trace  of  my  forth 
coming,  I  made  ready  to  go  below.  But  I  first 
assured  myself  as  well  as  I  could  that  the  stable 
was  not  watched,  which  being  done  I  descended 
to  the  ground  floor. 

I  looked  around  for  the  horse  that  I  had  heard, 
having  no  fancy  for  walking  and  still  less  dis 
position  to  take  the  risk  of  seizure  involved  in  re 
covering  my  own  animal,  though  I  regretted  to 
6 — LEGIONARIES. 


82  The  Legionaries 

abandon  him,  for  I  had  taught  him  to  know  me 
and  come  at  my  call  wherever  he  might  be.  The 
horse  which  I  was  determined  to  take  in  place 
it  was  the  only  one  remaining  in  the  stalls,  an?F 
seemed  to  me,  as  nearly  as  I  could  form  an  opin- 
ion^of  it  in  the  shadows  of  the  stable,  to  be  a  fine 
one.  Without  a  moment's  hesitation,  but  quietly, 
I  equipped  it  with  saddle  and  bridle,  and,  again 
satisfying  myself  that  the  way  was  clear,  led  it  out 
into  the  alley. 


CHAPTER  VI 

WITH   FACE  TOWARD   THE   SOUTH 

I  DID  not  mount  at  once,  but  taking  the  horse 
by  the  bit  I  led  it  some  distance  along  the  nar 
row  alley,  being  careful  to  keep  on  the  side  where 
the  shadows  of  the  buildings  would  most  protect 
me  from  observation.  When  I  had  in  this  way 
removed  myself  so  far  that  there  was  no  longer 
immediate  danger  to  be  feared  from  those  who 
had  made  so  free  with  Mandrell's  house,  and 
who  had  so  nearly  succeeded  in  playing  a  sorry 
joke  upon  me,  I  stopped  and  inspected  a  bundle 
that  was  attached  to  the  saddle.  It  proved  to 
be  a  long  weather  coat.  This  I  shook  out  and 
put  on,  considering  myself  fortunate  in  the  dis 
covery,  for  it  concealed  the  arms  of  which  I  had 
so  summarily  possessed  myself,  and  enabled  me 
to  retain  the  appearance  of  a  civilian  traveler, 
which  I  was  not  yet  prepared  to  throw  aside. 

Up  to  this  time  my  adventure  had  not  turned 
out  badly,  save  in  the  matter  of  the  information 
of  which  I  was  deprived,  and  which  I  had  intended 
to  be  the  guide  of  my  further  movements.  I  was 
left  to  my  own  resources,  which,  perforce,  were 
(83) 


84  The  Legionaries 

not  reassuring.  In  all  this  city,  filled  to  over 
flowing  with  citizens  and  soldiers,  I  did  not  know 
where  to  put  my  hand  this  night  upon  a  friend. 
The  one  thing  that  stood  out  clear  in  my  mind 
was  that  I  must  leave  without  delay  and  try 
to  reach  the  invading  army,  which  was  some 
where  to  the  southward  but  how  close  nobody 
seemed  to  know. 

It  was  not  the  kind  of  a  night  that  I  would  have 
preferred  for  my  undertaking,  but  my  necessities 
left  me  no  choice.  And,  as  luck  attends  upon 
audacity  as  often  as  it  favors  the  carefully  laid 
plans  of  the  timorous,  I  felt  that  my  chances  for 
escaping  from  the  city  were  worth  putting  to  the 
test  if  boldness  accompanied  the  trial. 

Once  in  the  saddle  and  astride  the  fine  horse  so 
providentially  supplied,  a  disposition  to  dare  took 
control  of  me  and  drove  out  all  wavering.  As  I 
rode  along,  seeking  out  the  quiet  streets  yet 
avoiding  any  appearance  of  stealth,  and  pursuing 
a  direction  tending  toward  the  southwesterly 
part  of  the  city,  I  saw  and  heard  on  all  sides  evi 
dences  of  strain.  The  hour  was  yet  early  — 
probably  not  more  than  ten  o'clock.  The  popu 
lace,  uncertain  as  to  what  was  in  store,  was  all 
astir,  and  filled  with  excitement. 

All  day  long  troops  for  the  defense  of  the  city 
had  poured  in  from  the  north ;  these  were  all  new 
levies — mostly  raw  and  ill-equipped  militia  and 
legionaries,  the  latter  not  uniformed  and  variously 


With  Face  Toward  the  South     85 

armed.  Upon  these  untried  men  must  the  com 
mandant  depend  to  assist  his  meager  garrison  in 
holding  the  expected  assailants  in  check  until  the 
disciplined  soldiers  of  Buell,  then  on  Bragg' s 
heels,  should  come  to  the  rescue. 

From  my  window  at  the  hotel  I  had  seen  many 
of  the  new  arrivals  as  they  straggled  down  the 
street,  making  a  brave  pretense  at  form  but  show 
ing  their  woeful  lack  of  training,  and  in  my  heart 
I  pitied  them  if  it  was  to  be  their  fate  to  meet 
Bragg's  old  and  experienced  campaigners.  They 
reminded  me,  of  nothing  so  much  as  the  inhabi 
tants  of  a  village  suddenly  called  from  their  beds 
in  the  middle  of  the  night  by  alarm  bells  to  sub 
due  a.  threatening  conflagration — startled,  fever 
ish  from  excitement,  and  not  knowing  what  to 
da,  'but  brave  and  resolute  when  the  way  was 
once  found. 

There  would,  it  was  plain,  be  little  sleep  that 
night  in  this  city.  Horsemen  passed  me  going  in 
one  direction  or  another  at  furious  speed,  as 
though  upon  missions  that  would  admit  of  no 
delay.  A  murmur  of  general  unrest  everywhere 
rilled  the  air  and  mingled  with  more  specific 
sounds  that  fell  upon  my  ears. 

Groups  of  men  and  women  and  clinging  chil 
dren  were  gathered  about  the  doors  of  houses, 
neighbor  could  be  heard  calling  to  neighbor,  and 
from  here  and  there  came  angry  voices  and  sounds 


86  The  Legionaries 

of  quarrels  whose  overheard  phrases  showed  the 
cause  of  contention  to  be  political. 

I  neared  the  outskirts  of  the  city  without  inter 
ruption,  and  coming  to  a  street  leading  southward 
between  rows  of  straggling  houses  toward  the 
open  country  that  could  not  be  far  distant,  I 
turned  into  it,  urging  my  willing  horse  to  a  faster 
pace.  I  had  barely  done  so  when  a  thick  cloud 
obscured  the  moon  and  darkened  the  way  before 
me,  but  I  pressed  on. 

Presently  the  cloud  lifted  and  disclosed  abridge 
directly  before  me,  and  into  the  added  light  of  a 
street  lamp  near  its  entrance  walked  a  sentry 
with  gun  held  awkwardly  in  hand.  He  called 
out  a  challenge,  in  obedience  to  which  I  brought 
my  horse  to  such  a  sudden  stand — not  being  yet 
familiar  with  his  qualities — that  he  reared  dan 
gerously  as  the  bit  cut  into  his  tender  mouth. 

With  amazement  not  unmixed  with  chagrin,  I 
discovered  in  the  sentry  no  less  a  personage  than 
the  legionary,  Spelker,  who  had  been  so  quick  to 
recognize  me  the  night  before.  To  meet  him 
again  so  soon  and  under  such  circumstances  was 
an  ill  fortune  of  which  I  had  not  dreamed.  His 
uniform  consisted  of  an  infantry  cap  and  belt, 
which,  along  with  his  gun  and  cartridge  box,  con 
stituted  the  extent  of  his  military  accoutrement. 

I  fancied  that  he  felt  ill  at  ease  in  his  unusual 
situation,  and  that  he  would  be  happier  were  he 
well  out  of  it  and  back  at  his  horse-buying.  My 


With  Face  Toward  the  South     87 

hat  was  down  far  over  my  face,  and  as  I  wore  now 
the  long  weather  coat  and  was  riding  a  gray  horse, 
whereas  my  own  was  a  bay,  I  think  he  did  not  at 
once  suspect  my  identity. 

"What  do  you  want?'7  I  demanded  of  him 
sternly. 

He  stepped  back  a  pace,  manifesting  a  nervous 
ness  which,  as  his  finger  was  upon  the  trigger  of 
a  cocked  musket,  was  somewhat  disconcerting. 
When  I  spoke  he  seemed  to  prick  up  his  ears  as 
if  in  recognition  of  my  voice.  As  he  did  not  im 
mediately  answer  my  question  and  I  felt  that  it 
would  be  better  for  him  to  believe  that  I  was  not 
affecting  a  disguise,  I  rode  up  against  the  very 
point  of  his  bayonet  and  throwing  back  my  hat 
renewed  my  demand  with  confident  front. 

"So  it's  you,  is  it  ?"  he  asked,  less  heroic 
ally  than  he  had  accosted  me  on  the  highway 
with  a  courage  then  stiffened  by  liquor  and  the 
presence  of  his  fellows,  but  yet  with  a  dogged 
obstinacy  that  boded  me  no  good.  "It  goes 
against  the  grain  to  let  you  pass  at  all,  my  buck, 
but  if  you  have  the  word  I  suppose  I'll  have  to. 
Give  the  countersign." 

As  far  as  my  knowledge  went  the  countersign 
might  be  alpha  or  omega,  or  anything  between, 
but  I  could  not  waste  much  time  in  parley,  though 
it  would  best  suit  my  purpose  to  make  the  con 
trary  appear. 

"Easy,  my  friend,  easy,"  said  I,  intent  upon 


88  The  Legionaries 

beguiling  him  into  lowering  the  point  of  his  gun. 
"There  is  plenty  of  time.  I  think  you  treated 
me  shabbily  last  night,  and  in  very  unneighborly 
spirit.  Had  you  ever  thought  that  one  who  sus 
pects  quickly  may  himself  be  suspected  ?" 

"Well,  you've  got  nothing  to  complain  of. 
It's  me  that's  got  a  very  pretty  bump,  and  not 
your  head  that's  cracked,"  he  responded,  drop 
ping  his  musket  butt  down,  that  he  might  have 
a  free  hand  to  rub  his  contusion.  I  saw  my  op 
portunity,  which  had  come  much  quicker  than 
I  had  reason  to  hope. 

"I  am  sorry,"  said  I,  as  sympathetically  as  I 
could,  "that  I  am  compelled  to  make  it  a  pair," 
and  thereupon  flashed  my  sword  quickly  above 
his  head  and  let  it  descend  flat  upon  the  thick  top 
of  his  cap. 

He  staggered  and  fell  to  the  ground,  dropping 
his  gun  as  he  did  so,  and  I  lost  no  time  in  con 
tinuing  on  my  way.  No  sound  came  from 
Spelker  and  if  his  wits  returned  in  five  minutes 
he  would  do  well ;  more  serious  injury  he  was  not 
likely  to  suffer. 

A  little  beyond  the  bridge,  at  the  side  of  the 
street — which  here  was  not  more  than  a  country 
road — I  had,  while  talking  with  Spelker,  observed 
a  camp  fire  about  which  men  were  gathered ;  how 
many  I  could  not  tell.  They  were  no  doubt  de 
tailed  to  watch  the  bridge.  Reasoning  that  as  I 
had  passed  the  sentry  they  would  conclude  that  I 


With  Face  Toward  the  South     89 

was  entitled  to  go  on,  I  went  ahead  at  a  smart 
gallop  and  was  not  stopped. 

Not  being  at  all  certain  as  to  my  course,  but 
realizing  the  dangers  of  that  locality,  I  made 
haste  to  leave  it  and  turned  into  the  first  intersect 
ing  road  leading  westward.  Such  houses  as  were 
here  were  mere  shanties,  and  far  between,  and  I 
knew  that  in  truth  I  was  at  the  city's  limits.  Fur 
thermore,  I  knew  that  mounted  patrols  guarded 
every  highway  for  miles  around. 

Fires  at  picket  and  vidette  posts  showed  dully 
before  me  and  to  the  right  and  to  the  left.  It 
would  have  been  difficult  even  for  one  with  a  per 
fect  understanding  of  the  country  to  get  through 
the  encircling  line  without  detection,  but  for  me, 
of  necessity  going  at  a  venture,  how  much  less 
my  chance.  Yet  I  must  take  it,  and  fortune  soon 
favored  me. 

The  night  suddenly  became  intensely  dark  from 
quickly  risen  and  threatening  clouds  which  gave 
promise  of  a  storm.  I  prayed  that  the  promise 
might  be  speedily  fulfilled,  and  drawing  aside  into 
a  common  covered  with  trees  I  stopped  and 
waited.  A  roll  of  thunder  in  the  southwest  con 
firmed  my  hopes.  The  wind  arose  and  began 
shaking  down  upon  me  the  dead  leaves  in  a 
shower  and  whirling  them  about.  A  cloud  of 
dust  picked  up  from  the  dry  highway  swept  over 
me,  filling  my  eyes  and  nostrils  and  grating  in  my 
teeth.  Soon  the  rain  came,  first  in  timid,  uncer- 


90  The  Legionaries 

tain  waves  which  pattered  musically  upon  the 
baked  leaves,  and  then  in  a  steady,  driving  down 
pour. 

Regaining  the  road  I  now  put  spurs  to  my 
horse  and  keeping  far  within  the  circle  of  lights 
neared  a  road  running  again  southward,  as  I 
could  see  in  the  vivid  flashes  of  the  lightning.  In 
the  same  way  I  saw  a  mounted  sentry  cross  it. 
He  was  going  in  the  direction  opposite  to  the  one 
I  wished  to  take,  with  his  head  pulled  down  into 
the  collar  of  his  coat  and  the  rim  of  his  rain- 
soaked  hat  beaten  down  upon  his  cheeks,  giving 
him  a  woe-begone  and  far  from  vigilant  appear 
ance.  Reaching  the  cross-road  before  the  sol 
dier  turned  back  upon  his  beat  I  turned  into 
it.  The  way  was  seemingly  a  mere  dirt  road, 
but  little  traveled,  I  judged,  already  sloppy  with 
water,  and  not  regarded  as  of  much  importance 
— a  fact  which  might  benefit  me. 

A  fire  that  I  had  at  first  seen,  apparently  di 
rectly  in  my  path,  disappeared  under  the  torrents 
of  rain,  and  I  faced  only  blackness,  pierced  at 
long  intervals  by  the  lightning.  The  noise  made 
by  the  elements,  while  deadening  the  sounds  of 
my  approach  also  made  it  impossible  for  me  to 
hear,  but  I  knew  that  I  must  be  near  where  the 
light  had  been. 

Just  then  my  horse  swerved  slightly  to  the  left, 
and  the  sound  made  by  his  rapid  feet  as  they 
struck  the  ground  showed  that  he  was  upon  the 


With  Face  Toward  the  South     91 

hard  smooth  surface  of  a  macadamized  highway. 
The  wind  was  directly  in  my  face  and  now  swept 
to  my  ears  the  voices  of  men  in  my  front  and 
carried  behind  me  the  sounds  of  my  own  move 
ments.  Believing  that  I  could,  unless  my  pres 
ence  was  revealed  by  the  lightning,  now  flash 
ing  less  frequently,  come  abreast  of  the  men 
without  warning,  I  urged  my  horse  into  a  run, 
determined  to  take  the  chances  of  the  way  before 
me,  and  like  a  shot  sped  past  the  point  where 
I  conceived  the  danger  to  lie.  Through  the  rush 
ing  wind  that  filled  my  ears  with  a  roar,  came 
faintly  a  smothered  cry  of  alarm,  a  quick  and  futile 
command  to  halt,  several  shots,  and  then  shouts 
growing  fainter.  Checking  my  horse  after  awhile 
I  listened  but  detected  no  sounds  of  pursuit. 


CHAPTER  VII 
CAPTAIN  BURKLEY'S  GENTLEMEN 

BY  grace  of  a  rare  good  fortune,  little  short  of 
accidental,  I  now  found  myself  in  the  open  coun 
try  outside  of  the  Federal  picket  lines.  There 
was  only  one  thing  to  do  and  that  was  to  go  on, 
whatsoever  might  befall,  and  go  on  I  did.  The 
storm  passed  over  and  the  sky  cleared  rapidly. 
The  moon,  circling  high  and  bright  in  the  heavens, 
made  objects  plain  before  me  save  here  and  there 
where  the  turnpike  was  shadowed  by  trees  or  en 
croaching  hills.  Not  knowing  the  exact  location 
of  Bragg's  forces  I  expected  every  moment  to  come 
upon  his  outer  picket  line,  for  I  had  no  other  idea 
than  that  he  had  control  of  all  the  approaches  to 
the  city.  So  I  was  not  surprised  when,  rounding 
the  base  of  a  hill  skirted  by  the  turnpike,  I  came 
suddenly  face  to  face  with  a  party  of  mounted 
men  who  brought  me  to  a  stand  with  levelled 
carbines.  One  of  them,  riding  out  a  little  in  front 
of  the  others,  accosted  me: 

"Which  way,  comrade?" 

"To  General  Bragg's  army,"  I  returned,  be 
lieving  these  to  be  a  part  of  the  investing  force, 
(92) 


Captain  Burkley's  Gentlemen     93 

"And  where  are  you  from?" 

"Louisville,"  said  I. 

"Well,"  said  he,  "you  won't  be  likely  to  reach 
old  Bragg  to-night.  He's  flunked  and  turned 
tail  for  Bardstown.  If  you  are  a  fighting  man 
steer  clear  of  Bragg." 

The  information  that  General  Bragg  had  turned 
back  came  as  a  great  surprise  to  me,  and  there 
was  so  much  of  anger  and  disappointment,  as 
well  as  positive  disrespect  toward  the  Confederate 
commander,  in  the  speaker's  tones  that  for  a  mo 
ment  the  fear  assailed  me  that  I  had  stumbled 
upon  a  Federal  scouting  party  and  had  been  too 
free  in  declaring  myself.  But  this  suspicion  I 
could  hardly  credit,  as  the  leader  and  all  of  the 
men  that  I  could  see  wore  the  color  of  the  Con 
federacy. 

"And  are  you  not  Confederate  soldiers?"  I 
asked,  to  relieve  my  suspense. 

"Oh,  we  are  Johnny  Rebs  right  enough.  But 
we  are  disgusted,  that's  all.  My  hundred  men 
can't  take  Louisville,  much  as  we  should  like  to, 
so  we  are  going  south,  too.  Just  been  taking  a 
little  rest.  If  you  like  you  can  ride  with  me  at 
the  head  of  the  column.  Come  on." 

Getting  me  in  front  of  him  he  turned  his  horse 
and  ordered  the  men  in  the  road,  consisting  of  a 
half  dozen  or  more,  to  proceed  in  advance  ol  us  ; 
then  gave  a  command  that  brought  from  the 
shadow  of  the  trees  on  both  sides  of  the  road  the 


94  The  Legionaries 

remainder  of  his  company,  whom  I  had  not  be 
fore  observed. 

Soon  we  were  going  southward  at  a  good 
swinging  trot,  the  leader  doing  me  the  honor  to 
ride  at  my  side.  It  developed  that  his  purpose 
was  to  have  further  conversation  with  me,  and  he 
asked  my  name  and  put  many  other  questions, 
excusing  himself  on  the  ground  that  he  must  set 
tle  in  his  own  mind  what  to  do  with  me — whether 
to  carry  me  along  as  a  prisoner  or  to  let  me  fol 
low  my  own  will.  He  protested  that  the  latter 
course  would  suit  him  better,  as  he  did  not  care 
to  bother  with  prisoners.  I  think  that  without 
being  too  free  about  myself  I  succeeded,  at  least 
partially,  in  satisfying  him  of  my  good  faith,  if 
not  in  removing  all  question  as  to  my  character. 

He  was  a  talkative  man  and  had  a  deep-seated 
grievance  against  General  Bragg,  at  which  he  had 
already  hinted,  and  which,  with  some  other  things, 
he  exploited  in  detail  at  intervals  as  we  went 
along.  It  fell  out  that  the  company  under  his 
command  was  an  independent  one,  or  a  "free 
troop." 

Aside  from  some  voluntary  contributions  from 
friends  of  the  South  in  Louisville,  it  furnished  its 

4H^~ 

own  equipment  and  subsistence,  except  where — 
as  was  not  infrequently  the  case,  I  conjectured— 
they  found  it  convenient  to  levy  tribute.  He  in 
sisted  that  they  were  neither  freebooters  nor  guer 
rillas,  but  that  under  orders  from  the  constituted 


Captain  Burkley's  Gentlemen     95 

authorities  they  undertook  the  accomplishment  of 
enterprises  believed  to  be  helpful  to  the  South. 
A  species  of  moss-trooper  they  might  be,  he  ad 
mitted  with  a  laugh,  but  claimed  that  they  denied 
themselves  the  usual  pleasures  of  brigandage 
while  submitting  to  more  than  its  customary  ex 
actions  and  hazards. 

"And  yet,"  he  said,  angrily,  "the  Unionist 
commander  of  this  district  ordered  that  we  should 
be  shot  if  caught,  and  not  held  as  prisoners.  If 
General  Bragg  had  been  quick  enough  and  bold 
enough  he  could  have  driven  this  vaunting  tyrant 
into  the  river  along  with  all  his  rag-tag  and  bob 
tail,  and  have  taught  him  a  lesson  in  shooting  that 
he  would  have  remembered." 

Thus  he  went  on,  alternately  railing  at  the 
Unionist  district  commander  and  abusing  the 
Confederate  general,  bestowing  expletives  in  both 
directions  with  an  admirable  impartiality.  Now 
and  again  recurring  to  his  own  followers,  he 
spoke  of  them  with  pride  and  called  them  his 
gentlemen.  He  seemed  delighted  to  dwell  upon 
the  sacrifices  that  they  were  making  without 
compensation  or  hope  of  reward  other  than  such 
trifles  as  incidentally  fell  to  their  lot  when  they 
had  the  good  luck  to  cut  off  a  convoy,  or  were 
driven  by  stress  of  fortune  to  negotiate  loans  from 
the  most  accessible  friend  or  foe. 

I  could  only  dimly  make  out  what  manner  of 
man  he  was  in  appearance,  but  otherwise  could 


96  The  Legionaries 

form  a  tolerable  estimate  of  his  qualities,  and  this, 
aside  from  the  conviction  that  he  was,  perhaps, 
too  free  of  tongue,  was  not  unfavorable. 

Two  or  three  hours  before  daybreak  we  came 
up  with  the  scouts,  no  doubt  at  a  prearranged 
rendezvous.  A  halt  was  called,  pickets  thrown 
out  and  sentries  posted,  and  the  men,  including 
the  leader  himself,  were  quickly  scattered  about 
on  the  ground  sound  asleep,  except  one  sta 
tioned  not  far  away  who  was  probably  detailed 
to  keep  his  eyes  on  me.  At  any  rate,  he  very 
faithfully  did  so  during  the  remainder  of  the 
night  as  I  can  attest,  for  sleep  resolutely  refused 
to  visit  me. 

The  camp  was  not  astir  until  the  sun  was  nearly 
an  hour  high,  and  thirty  minutes  later  we  were 
again  ready  for  the  saddle.  I  could  now  see  the 
character  of  the  company  I  was  keeping.  The 
leader,  who  had  shared  his  breakfast  with  me, 
was  not  greatly  my  senior,  and  was  of  prepossess 
ing  appearance,  with  fair  hair,  a  face  much  tanned 
by  sun  and  weather,  and  blue  eyes  that  looked 
determined  but  not  ungentle.  A  well  propor 
tioned  man  he  was,  too,  and  made  a  fine  figure 
on  horseback. 

His  followers  did  not  all  impress  me  as  having 
an  unquestioned  claim  to  the  honorable  title  that 
their  commander  had  given  them.  But  if  bold 
ness  of  bearing,  a  rollicking  humor  and  a  pro 
ficiency  in  the  use  of  oaths,  to  which  I  may  add, 


Captain  Burkley's  Gentlemen     97 

from  subsequent  observation,  good  horsemanship 
and  dare-devil  spirit,  completed  the  definition  of 
the  term,  then  they  were  gentlemen,  every  one. 

They  gave  little  heed  to  me.  Most  of  them 
seemed  not  to  notice  my  presence  at  all.  A  few 
of  them  looked  me  over  casually  but  maintained 
a  strict  and  respectful  silence  as  to  their  impres 
sions.  My  horse,  however,  appeared  to  meet 
with  the  unqualified  approval  of  all,  judging  from 
the  looks  that  were  directed  toward  him  and  not 
from  what  was  said,  and  he,  for  his  part,  acted  as 
if  he  were  very  well  satisfied  with  the  company 
he  was  in. 

I  had  intentionally  deferred  making  inquiries  as 
to  the  purposes  of  the  captain  with  respect  to  my 
self  until  by  some  means  I  could  make  sure  of  my 
standing,  or  until  he  voluntarily  revealed  them  to 
me.  For  the  time  I  was  contented  that  I  was 
making  some  headway  with  my  own  plans,  which, 
I  felt  assured,  were  in  a  fair  way  to  be  ultimately 
realized. 

Just  as  we  were  on  the  point  of  taking  up  our 
march — only  waiting  for  the  return  of  two  men 
who  had  been  sent  scouting  in  our  rear — three 
horsemen  came  into  view  on  the  crest  of  the  hill 
behind  us.  Two  of  them  were  the  scouts  but  the 
other's  identity  was  not  disclosed  until  they  drew 
near,  and  then,  to  my  great  relief  and  gratifica 
tion,  I  recognized  Colonel  Mandrell,  weary  and 
7 — LEGIONARIES. 


98  The  Legionaries 

mud-spattered,  and  showing  other  signs  of  a  hard 
night's  journey.  As  he  came  up  the  captain  stood 
out  to  meet  him  and  friendly  greetings  were  ex 
changed,  proving  a  previous  acquaintance. 

"Burkley,  I  am  mighty  glad  to  see  you  for  I 
have  had  a  regular  Tarn  O'Shanter  ride  this  past 
night.  Have  you  a  flask  handy  ?  Thanks — ex 
cuse  me  a  moment.  There,  my  boy,  that  will 
chase  some  of  the  stiffness  out  of  my  joints." 

Here  he  looked  about  him,  and  his  eyes  fell 
upon  me,  comfortably  astride  one  of  his  favorite 
horses. 

"Why,  Trenham,  how  are  you  ?  How  in  the 
world  did  you  get  here  ?" 

"Somewhat  after  your  own  fashion,  I  should 
think,"  I  returned,  "and  I  desire  to  acknowledge 
the  debt  I  owe  to  your  horse,  which  I  was  com 
pelled  to  appropriate." 

At  the  suggestion  of  Colonel  Mandrell,  who 
dismounted  and  stretched  himself  at  his  ease  o 
the  grass  in  the  warm  sunshine,  Captain  Burkley' 
delayed  his  departure  for  an  hour,  during  which 
time  explanations  were  made  to  him  by  my  friend 
that  brought  an  offer  of  any  assistance  that  he 
might  be  able  to  render. 

Not  only  did  the  captain  show  marked  re 
spect  for  the  new  arrival,  but  every  member  of 
the  company  seemed  to  understand  that  he  was  a 
person  of  importance  whose  wishes  as  to  their 
movements  were  equal  to  commands.  Indeed, 


Captain  Burkley's  Gentlemen     99 

from  the  moment  when  Colonel  Mandrell  had  ap 
peared  among  us  Burkley  had  addressed  him 
more  as  a  superior  officer  than  as  a  chance  guest, 
and  the  men  gave  evidence  of  similar  regard. 

At  this  I  wondered  a  little,  but  attributed  it  to 
nothing  more  than  simple  recognition  of  his  high 
standing  as  a  known  and  daring  friend  of  the 
Confederacy.  When  after  a  while  we  were  on  the 
Bardstown  road  and  riding  in  the  rear  of  the  col 
umn,  as  he  had  arranged  it,  he  opened  a  con 
versation  with  me  that  increased  my  wonder. 
First,  he  had  told  of  his  escape  from  Louisville, 
which,  having  received  a  friendly  warning  of  his 
contemplated  arrest,  he  had  accomplished  with 
difficulty  after  some  hours  of  concealment  in  the 
city.  After  I  had  told  him  about  my  own  ad 
venture  I  spoke  of  my  desire  to  join  Morgan's 
cavalry.  At  this  he  exclaimed : 

"Why  did  you  not  tell  me  of  your  purpose 
l  long  ago?  Perhaps  I  could  have  done  something 

*it  ' 

for  you."  He  looked  at  me  for  a  moment  and 
then  added,  reflectively:  "And  perhaps  I  can 
yet.  I  suppose  you  would  be  satisfied  with  any 
thing  from  trooper  up  to  major-general?" 

"Anything,"  I  made  answer. 

"Well,  now,  this  is  serious.  Morgan  wants 
men,  as  "I  happen  to  know,  and  recruiting  is  being 
done  for  him  even  now  in  Kentucky.  With  your 
training  you  ought  to  have  a  captaincy  to  begin 


ioo  'The  Legionaries 

with,  but  that  you  are  not  likely  to  get  unless  you 
can  take  your  own  company  into  his  camp." 

"Which  is  impossible,"  said  I,  "and  so  I  must 
be  satisfied  to  go  into  the  ranks." 

"I  don't  know  that  it  is  impossible,"  he  re 
sponded,  speaking  slowly  as  if  he  were  turning 
something  over  in  his  mind.  "What  do  you 
think  of  those  fellows?' ' — nodding  his  head  toward 
the  men  in  front  of  us,  who  sat  in  their  saddles 
with  a  negligent  ease  that  bespoke  their  horse 
manship. 

"They  look  like  good  material,"  said  I,  not  at 
all  comprehending  his  meaning,  "and  it  is  a  pity 
they  are  not  in  a  more  regular  service." 

"I  have  no  doubt  that  they  have  served  a  pur 
pose  in  their  chosen  field — in  truth,  my  informa 
tion  enables  me  to  assert  positively  that  they 
have — but  I  believe  that  they  can  now  be  dis 
pensed  with  in  that  line." 

He  stopped  and  again  seemed  to  reflect.  After 
awhile  he  went  on:  "Burkley  has  been  a  good 
bushwhacker  and  has  in  him  the  making  of  a 
good  officer.  He  is  loyal  and  faithful,  but  a  little 
too  eager  and  impatient  and  a  trifle  reckless.  I 
have  heard  a  good  deal  about  his  company,  which 
has  been  given  a  variety  of  unpleasant  names, 
and  know  that  the  Federals  have  been  especially 
anxious  to  lay  violent  hands  on  its  commander." 
He  laughed  a  little  in  a  grim  sort  of  way,  adding : 
"But  Burkley  has  always  eluded  them  most 


Captain  Burkley's  Gentlemen    101 

cleverly.  What's  the  matter  with  your  horse, 
Trenham?" 

That  was  what  I  did  not  know.  Since  we  had 
started  he  had  been  pulling  at  his  bit  and  giving 
me  trouble  to  hold  him  in  check. 

"Perhaps,  Colonel,  as  he  is  not  really  mine, 
but  yours,  you  can  answer  your  question  better 
than  I,"  said  I. 

He  gave  me  a  keen  look  and  responded: 
"Have  you  tried  him  at  the  head  of  the  col 
umn?" 

"That  is  where  I  rode  last  night,  and,  since 
you  mention  it,  I  remember  that  he  gave  me  no 
trouble  at  all." 

"Have  you  ever  considered  the  strength  of 
habit  in  both  man  and  beast?"  he  asked.  "We 
easily,  almost  unconsciously,  fall  into  the  place 
to  which  we  have  accustomed  ourselves,  and  if  by 
chance  or  design  we  are  crowded  into  another 
we  are  instantly  ready  for  rebellion ;  the  same 
thing  may  be  true  of  horses.  But  I  was  talking 
of  Burkley.  For  some  time  he  has  been  fairly 
aching  to  join  the  artillery  service.  I  think  he 
told  me  that  once,  before  the  war,  he  belonged  to 
a  battery  which,  when  hostilities  broke  out,  went 
almost  unanimously  over  to  the  Unionists.  If  his 
ambition  still  leads  him  in  that  direction,  per 
haps,  as  I  said,  something  can  be  done  for  you. 
Those  men  there  will  be  happy  to  join  Morgan's 


IO2  The  Legionaries 

force,  and,  with  Burkley  provided  for  more  to  his 
taste  elsewhere,  they  will  need  a  new  captain." 

I  was  greatly  moved  by  this  manifest  evidence 
of  his  good  will  and  his  desire  to  help  me  in 
a  way  agreeable  to  my  feelings,  but  far  in  ex 
cess  of  my  expectations,  which  had  not  been  ex 
treme.  At  first  I  was  much  perplexed  to  deter 
mine  how  he  might  bring  about  the  result  which 
he  had  suggested,  but  little  by  little  light  broke 
in  upon  my  understanding  and  I  saw  the  truth  as 
clearly  as  if  he  had  himself  explicitly  narrated  it. 

The  troop  was  his,  maintained  and  used  hereto 
fore  for  his  own  purposes,  or  purposes  for'  which 
he  stood  sponsor,  and  he  was  its  real  head  and 
leader  at  such  times  as  he  chose  to  be  so.  He 
was  a  strong  and  vigorous  man  of  adventurous 
spirit — one  who  delighted  in  mixing  action  with 
craft,  and  who,  for  powerful  reasons,  did  not  care 
to  be  publicly  identified  with  the  band  of  irregu 
lars  ostensibly  led  by  Larkin  Burkley. 

Now,  by  some  shifting  of  plans,  he  found  it 
convenient  to  sever  his  own  connection  with  the 
company  and  let  it  engage  in  other  service. 
Whether  he  had  thought  of  the  matter  prior  to  his 
meeting  with  me  this  day  was  not  material,  but  I 
was  certain  that  after  it  had  once  entered  his 
mind  he  would  work  it  out  for  my  advantage 
and  accommodation  if  possible,  and  with  him  I 
felt  that  it  would  be  possible. 

A   little   before  noon  we  reached  Bardstown, 


Captain  Burkley's  Gentlemen    103 

near  which  place  General  Bragg's  army  of  forty 
thousand  men  was  temporarily  encamped,  and 
stopped  on  suitable  ground  somewhat  removed 
from  that  occupied  by  the  others. 

Not  far  from  us  several  batteries  of  field  artil 
lery  were  stationed.  They  at  once  caught  and 
held  the  eyes  of  Burkley  and  set  him  talking  at  a 
great  rate,  showing  that  his  old  enthusiasm  had  in 
no  degree  abated.  Through  the  small  field  glass 
which  he  carried  at  his  side  he  looked  the  grim 
monsters  over,  praising  here,  criticising  there,  and 
withholding  judgment  elsewhere.  He  even  began 
to  speak  in  more  friendly  spirit  of  the  Confeder 
ate  commander.  While  in  this  temper  Colonel 
Mandrell  took  him  apart  and  held  a  conversation 
with  him,  the  purport  of  which  I  could  only  guess. 
Afterward  the  two  men  rode  away  together, 
leaving  me,  as  the  colonel  told  me  privately,  to 
get  on  the  best  terms  I  could  with  the  men. 

As  it  happened,  no  better  time  for  the  realiza 
tion  of  Burkley's  ambition  could  have  been  seized 
upon,  as  General  Bragg,  by  the  surrender  to  him 
of  the  Union  forces  at  Munfordsville  a  few  days 
before,  had  come  into  possession  of  a  quantity  of 
cannon,  and  his  chief  of  artillery  was  even  then 
engaged  in  forming  new  batteries. 

The  next  day  Burkley  announced  to  the  troop 
his  appointment  as  lieutenant  of  artillery.  He 
was  popular  with  the  men,  and  that  they  regretted 
his  proposed  departure  from  among  them  was 


104  The  Legionaries 

shown  by  their  sober  faces.  When  he  had  fin 
ished,  Colonel  Mandrell  addressed  them  and  told 
them  that  the  old  days  were  over,  but  that  a  more 
glorious  career  awaited  them  in  the  service  of 
the  South  if  they  availed  themselves  of  their  op 
portunities. 

I  will  not  attempt  to  set  down  all  he  said, 
least  of  all  will  I  dwell  upon  the  overpraise  that 
he  bestowed  upon  me  in  urging  upon  them  my 
fitness  to  be  their  captain.  But  so  adroitly  did 
he  appeal  to  them — not  forgetting  to  state  that  I 
had  not  pushed  myself  forward,  and  that  he  alone 
was  responsible  for  the  proposal — that  when  he 
called  for  an  expression  of  their  opinions,  I  was 
assured  of  their  support  and  favor.  I  immedi 
ately  went  about  the  task  of  making  arrangements 
to  carry  the  new  scheme  into  execution,  and  to 
that  end  called  into  consultation  with  me  all  who 
had  acted  in  the  capacity  of  subordinate  officers 
in  the  troop.  These  men  I  found  to  be  happy  at 
the  prospect  of  engaging  in  a  more  satisfactory 
service  than  that  which  had  previously  occupied 
their  time,  and  they  exhibited  a  willingness  to 
aid  me  that  drove  from  my  mind  every  lingering 
doubt  as  to  my  welcome  among  them. 

I  have  thus  written  of  these  things,  not  because 
they  are  in  themselves  interesting  or  important, 
but  to  show  how  it  happened  that  I  acquired  rank 
so  quickly  without  first  winning  it  by  hard  service. 
But  that  I  earned  it  afterward,  in  following  the 


Captain  Burkley's  Gentlemen    105 

standard  of  the  man  to  whose  fortunes  I  was  pres 
ently  to  be  attached  during  the  most  brilliant 
period  of  his  career,  and  near  to  the  time  of  its 
unfortunate  close,  will  be  admitted,  I  think,  by 
all  of  those  whose  dangers  I  shared  in  those  wild 
days. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

WITH  THE  GREAT  RAIDER 

THE  camp  at  Bardstown  was  maintained  for 
several  days,  and  leaving  the  matter  to  the  man 
agement  of  Colonel  Mandrell,  I  had  the  satisfac 
tion  of  seeing  my  company  duly  enrolled  and  ac 
cepted  into  the  regular  service  and  assigned  to 
the  command  of  General  Morgan.  Its  members 
would  not  have  been  content  to  be  placed  else 
where,  and  their  enthusiasm  and  delight  knew  no 
bounds  when  they  learned  that  our  project  had 
been  successfully  accomplished  and  that  they 
would  be  soon  riding  up  and  down  with  the  great 
cavalier  at  their  head. 

Then  there  were  days  of  delay  and  impatience, 
followed  at  last  by  a  movement  to  Harrodsburg, 
where  came  our  future  leader  to  whose  fortunes 
we  were  thenceforth  committed.  I  carried  to 
him  a  personal  letter  from  the  man  to  whom  I 
already  owed  so  great  a  debt,  and  it  was  the 
circumstance  of  presenting  it  that  brought  me  first 
into  the  presence  of  this  bold  partisan  chieftain  of 
whom  I  had  heard  so  much. 

He  was  at  this  time  probably  thirty-five  years 
(106) 


With  the  Great  Raider        107 

old,  and  there  was  that  about  him  which  at  once 
marked  him  as  a  man  of  distinction.  A  soldierly 
presence,  in  truth,  with  his  six  feet  of  strength  and 
grace  still  unmarred  by  the  hardships  to  which  he 
was  constantly  exposed.  His  eyes,  of  a  grayish 
blue,  were  lively  with  intelligence  and  purpose; 
his  features  handsome,  and  his  address  as  pleas 
ing  as  his  manners  were  gentle  and  consid 
erate.  But  above  all  else  there  was  about  him 
that  air  of  self-reliance,  determination  and  utter 
fearlessness  that  characterized  his  career  as  a  sol 
dier  and  made  him  renowned  above  his  fellows 
for  a  boldness  and  daring  that,  in  one  less  capa 
ble,  would  have  approached  foolhardiness.  This 
is  saying  much,  for  the  time  which  brought  forth 
his  activities  produced  many  resolute  leaders, 
North  and  South,  whose  deeds  have  made  their 
names  justly  conspicuous  in  the  history  of  their 
country.  Often  had  my  youthful  blood  been 
aroused  by  reading  of  the  glamorous  achieve 
ments  of  the  first  Richard  and  other  heroes  of 
chivalry,  but  the  man  I  was  henceforth  to  follow 
was  as  stout  of  heart  as  any  of  these,  though  his 
accomplishments  are  less  famed. 

The  semi-independence  of  Morgan's  command 
and  the  opportunities  which  it  afforded  for  advent 
urous  service  attracted  to  him  the  daring  from 
all  walks  of  life,  and  in  his  ranks  the  educated 
sons  of  the  high  and  wealthy  rode  stirrup  to  stir 
rup  with  the  illiterate  and  lowly. 


io8  The  Legionaries 

That  all  those  who  flocked  to  his  standard  were 
impelled  thereto  by  patriotism  I  do  not  believe. 
Many  were  no  doubt  moved  by  a  love  of  adven 
ture  and  a  reckless  desire  to  gratify  it ;  but  this  I 
do  affirm,  that  however  it  chanced  that  a  man 
found  himself  under  the  authority  of  this  courage 
ous  leader,  he  was  held  in  fealty  by  a  love  of  the 
man  himself.  For  he  won  men's  hearts  with  sin 
gular  ease,  and  at  his  word  they  would  fight  and 
dare  and  die,  more,  I  believe,  for  him  than  for  the 
cause  which  he  represented. 

He  received  me  at  his  headquarters  in  a  most 
kindly  manner  that  at  once  put  me  at  my  ease. 
I  looked  to  see  him  worn  by  the  tremendous  strain 
of  a  recently  finished  campaign  in  which  in  a  lit 
tle  over  twenty  days  he  had,  to  the  amazement  of 
the  whole  country,  successfully  covered  more 
than  a  thousand  perilous  miles,  everywhere  beset 
by  his  enemies.  But  of  this  there  was  no  indica 
tion,  and  his  freshness  and  elasticity  of  bearing 
gave  proof  of  his  wonderful  powers  of  endurance. 
This  man,  always  eager  and  resourceful,  even  to 
the  pitiful  end,  never  ceased  to  be  a  marvel  to  me. 

After  he  had  inquired  concerning  Colonel  Man- 
drell  he  questioned  me  a  little  about  myself  and  my 
men,  but  assured  me — tapping  the  letter  with  his 
finger — that  he  had  no  misgivings  about  either 
since  reading  that.  The  interview  was  not  pro 
longed,  as  a  summons  came  while  I  was  present 
calling  him  into  council  with  General  Bragg,  but 


With  the  Great  Raider        109 

as  I  left  he  promised  that  he  would  in  person 
speedily  inspect  my  troop.  This  he  did  the  next 
day,  and  from  that  time  forth  there  was  not  a  man 
among  them  all  who  was  not  willing  to  follow  him 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

Scant  time  for  rest  was  ever  allowed  this  sleep 
less  warrior,  and  he  was  soon  in  the  field  again, 
my  gallant  gentlemen  bearing  him  company. 
How  well  they  rode,  and  how  well  they  fought, 
and  how  bravely  many  of  them  died  before  that 
last  headlong  raid  northward,  need  not  be  told. 

Summer  was  in  full  tide  again,  when,  with 
three  thousand  horsemen  and  a  battery  of  six 
guns,  our  faces  were  turned  toward  the  Ohio. 
There  were  many  conjectures  as  to  our  destination 
and  object,  but  aside  from  the  General  himself, 
none  knew  and  none  questioned.  Here  and 
there  as  we  progressed  small  forces  of  the  enemy 
fell  upon  our  flanks  or  snapped  at  our  heels. 
These  were  brushed  aside  or  driven  back.  On 
every  side  indications  grew  that  the  Federals, 
aware  of  our  movement,  and  knowing  the  in 
trepid  character  of  our  General,  were  hastening 
the  concentration  of  a  sufficient  force  to  bar  his 
way  and  thwart  his  purpose. 

Whatever  the  nature  of  his  mission,  it  soon  be 
came  evident  that  he  was  resolved  to  elude  his 
foes  when  he  could,  and  only  fight  them  when 
they  got  in  his  way.  And  this  was  often  enough, 
God  knows,  as  not  a  day  passed  in  which  the 


1 1  o  The  Legionaries 

charge  was  not  sounded  that  sent  some  of  his 
men  full  drive  against  obstinate  Federal  guns,  and 
stretched  many  of  our  brave  fellows  on  the 
ground  not  to  rise  again ;  among  these  last  was 
the  General's  own  young  brother,  a  lad  loved 
by  all.  Nor^did  I  escape  my  share  of  the  fight 
ing,  for  it  had  long  since  come  to  be  known  that 
the  once  irregulars  never  stood  back  where  any 
dared  go  forward. 

One  day  my  company  was  detached  from  the 
main  command  with  instructions  to  feel  the  coun  • 
try  to  the  east  of  our  route  and  rejoin  the  column 
the  next  day  at  Bardstown,  which  was  for  the 
second  time  to  be  conspicuous  in  my  itinerary. 
After  nightfall  we  had,  on  information  obtained 
from  a  friendly  citizen,  surprised  and  captured 
the  Federal  Colonel  Crespy  at  the  moment  when 
he  was  enjoying  a  much  relished  dinner  at  the 
house  of  a  Unionist  situated  on  the  outskirts  of 
a  town  in  which  his  regiment  of  cavalry  had  been 
halted  for  the  night. 

His  escort,  which  he  had  left  on  guard  about 
the  premises,  had  unfortunately  escaped  into  the 
town,  thus  making  it  necessary  for  us  to  hasten 
from  the  locality  unless  we  cared  to  measure  our 
strength  against  vastly  superior  numbers.  Guided 
by  the  same  citizen  we  had  ridden  far  into  the 
night,  bearing  gradually  toward  the  place  of  the 
morrow's  rendezvous.  It  lacked  only  a  few  hours 
of  daylight  when  I  considered  it  safe  to  stop  and 


With  the  Great  Raider        1 1 1 

dispose  my  weary  but  uncomplaining  troopers  for 
a  little  rest.  As  for  myself,  I  had  barely  touched 
the  ground  before  I  was  sound  asleep. 

My  next  conscious  sensation  was  one  of  being 
shaken  violently,  and  the  shaking,  as  I  have  al 
ways  since  believed,  was  supplemented  by  a  kick, 
still  more  potential  in  opening  my  heavy  eyes. 
Aroused  and  startled,  and  not  a  little  ruffled  by 
the  latter  indignity — though  I  quieted  my  feel 
ings  by  thinking  that  it  was  not  intended  as 
such,  but  born  of  the  fancied  urgency  of  the  sit 
uation — I  jumped  to  my  feet,  thoroughly  awake, 
to  find  that  every  man  was  up  and  standing  to 
horse  in  the  early  morning  sun  ready  to  take  my 
commands.  Before  me  stood  Neffitt,  the  corpo 
ral  of  the  guard,  a  good  soldier,  but  a  wild  fellow 
with  little  reverence  for  rank  save  in  his  obedi 
ence  to  orders.  He  saluted,  but  I  detected  a 
mischievous  twinkle  in  his  eyes  which  confirmed 
my  suspicion  as  to  his  manner  of  getting  me  up. 

"What's  the  trouble?"  I  demanded  sharply, 
showing  my  disapproval. 

"The  enemy,  coming  over  the  hill,"  he  said, 
saluting  again,  this  time  more  seriously  and  point 
ing  toward  the  east. 

Looking  that  way  I  saw  a  group  of  bluecoated 
horsemen  coming  down  the  decline  Without  a 
doubt  they  were  the  advance  guard  of  Crespy's 
cavalry,  now  close  on  our  heels.  My  men  occu 
pied  an  elevated  position  in  an  open  wood  a  little 


H2  The  Legionaries 

off  the  road,  but  near  the  edge  of  the  wood  there 
was  enough  underbrush  to  make  it  unlikely  that 
we  had  been  yet  observed.  The  hill  was  nearly 
a  mile  away,  and  between  us  stretched  level 
ground  only  broken  on  the  south  of  the  road  by 
a  long  ridge. 

I  determined  to  wait  and  make  sure  as  to  the 
numbers  of  the  Federals.  Colonel  Crespy  him 
self  stood  near,  outwardly  calm  and  unmoved, 
but  in  his  eyes  there  was  unmistakable  trace  of 
inward  excitement.  The  moment  was  an  anxious 
one,  not  less  for  him  than  for  us  all.  At  close 
quarters  my  men,  numbering  less  than  one  hun 
dred,  would  have  small  chance  against  my  pris 
oner's  whole  regiment  of  eight  hundred  which  I 
believed  to  be  coming  upon  me. 

I  was  resolved  not  to  risk  the  hazards  of  a  com 
bat  if  my  surmises  as  to  the  strength  of  my  op 
ponents  proved  to  be  correct.  Of  this  fact  I  was 
not  long  in  doubt,  for  presently  the  head  of  a  col 
umn  appeared  on  the  hill  top,  and  I  was  on  the 
point  of  ordering  my  men  into  the  road  for  a  race 
when  my  eyes  fell  upon  a  sight  that  caused  me  to 
withhold  the  command. 

About  one-third  of  the  distance  between  my 
position  and  the  Federals  was  a  road,  which, 
coming  from  the  north,  crossed  the  other  at  right 
angles  and  disappeared  into  a  small  wooded  val 
ley  two  or  three  hundred  yards  or  so  beyond. 
The  elevation  constituting  the  eastern  slope  of 


With  the  Great  Raider        113 

the  little  valley  extended  farther  toward  the  cross 
ing  of  the  roads  than  did  the  western,  thus  allow 
ing  us  to  see  persons  traveling  the  valley  road 
northward  before  they  became  visible  to  our 
enemy. 

Emerging  upon  this  road  were  horsemen  in 
gray  clothes  going  at  a  smart  trot.  My  glass 
showed  them  to  belong  to  Morgan's  command, 
but  how  many  of  them  I  could  not  yet  tell,  as 
the  General  had  a  habit  of  dividing  his  force  in 
sweeping  through  the  enemy's  country  and  reunit 
ing  it  at  points  agreed  upon,  always  being  in  per 
sonal  command  of  the  column  with  which  he 
rode. 

Before  I  could  possibly  have  given  warning  to 
my  comrades  of  the  near  presence  of  the  Feder 
als,  the  advance  guards  of  the  forces  were  face  to 
face.  Unslinging  their  carbines  they  fired  and 
fell  back,  while  the  main  column  of  Federals 
broke  into  a  gallop,  and  at  the  same  time  file 
upon  file  of  gray  coats  came  charging  up  from 
the  southward. 

Without  waiting  to  see  more,  I  detached  two 
men  to  guard  Colonel  Crespy,  whose  cheeks  were 
now  aflush  with  feeling,  and  placing  myself  at  the 
head  of  my  eager  men  shouted  a  command  that 
took  us  into  the  highway  and  started  us  flying 
forward. 

The  Confederate  leader  was,  I  saw  with  keen 
8 — LEGIONARIES. 


1 1 4  The  Legionaries 

satisfaction,  Morgan  himself,  and  he  appeared  to 
take  in  the  situation  in  which  he  was  placed  at  a 
glance.  A  quick  maneuvering  of  his  force  showed 
that  he  was  preparing  for  a  struggle ;  and  it  was 
the  kind  of  a  fight  that  he  liked,  in  the  open, 
with  plenty  of  room  for  men  and  horses. 

The  Federals,  on  their  part,  did  not  wait  to  see 
whether  the  enemy  fronting  them  consisted  of  a 
few  or  many,  but  came  onward  with  great  dash 
and  courage,  deploying  a  column  to  the  right  and 
to  the  left  with  incredible  rapidity  and  skill.  It 
seemed  to  me  at  the  moment — though  I  had  little 
time  to  study  the  strategical  qualities  of  the  field 
— that  the  lay  of  the  ground  was  favorable  to  the 
Confederates,  and  so  it  should  have  been,  seeing 
that  our  General's  following  was  made  up  of  only 
four  or  five  troops  and  was  not  much  better  than  a 
scouting  party.  The  elevation  to  the  east, 
which  extended  well  out  toward  the  highway, 
protected  them  in  a  measure  against  attack  on  the 
flank,  I  thought,  thus  giving  them  an  opportunity 
to  strike  the  enemy's  center  to  greater  advan 
tage,  with  little  to  fear  from  a  counter  side  blow. 

That  was  the  way  it  looked  to  me,  but  the  Gen 
eral  took  no  chances.  Deploying  his  whole  force 
quickly  well  back  in  the  field  beyond  the  angle  of 
the  roads,  he  arranged  it  so  that  he  could  get 
headway  from  whatever  direction  he  was  likely  to 
be  assailed.  It  was  well  that  he  did,  for  pres 
ently,  almost  abreast  of  their  comrades  on  the 


With  the  Great  Raider        115 

low  ground  and  in  the  highway,  there  came  a 
rush  of  horse  over  the  brow  of  the  ridge.  The 
roads  were  only  unimproved  ways  worn  by  travel 
across  the  unfenced  ground,  and  furnished  no  ob 
struction  to  the  movements  of  the  cavalry. 

It  was  my  intention  to  take  care  of  that  part  of 
the  enemy — which  did  not  greatly  outnumber  my 
command — to  the  north  of  the  main  road  and 
prevent  them  from  falling  upon  the  General's 
flank.  To  that  end  I  swerved  to  the  left,  straight 
ened  out  in  column  of  eights,  then  dashed  at 
speed  toward  the  noses  of  their  horses. 

Before  reaching  them  I  took  a  glance  at  the 
other  part  of  the  field  and  saw  that  every  shod 
hoof  was  in  motion  and  beating  the  earth  in  uni 
son  with  its  fellows  to  the  right  and  to  the  left, 
before  and  behind.  The  General  was  a  good 
hundred  yards  ahead  of  me,  and  almost  upon 
the  foe  who  had  been  compelled  to  turn  slightly 
to  face  him.  A  hundred  feet — fifty!  God!  how 
my  blood  tingled  and  how  my  muscles  drew  un 
der  the  double  strain — often  as  similar  scenes 
had  spread  before  my  eyes — until  I  felt  that  I 
was  being  fairly  pulled  from  my  saddle.  And 
then  the  combatants  crashed  into  each  other's 
very  teeth. 

I  caught  a  glimpse  of  rearing  horses  and  flash 
ing  sabers,  and  heard  the  rattle  of  revolver  shots 
and  the  shouts  of  the  fighters.  It  was  only  a 
glimpse,  for  in  a  moment  I  was  myself  striking 


n6  The  Legionaries 

out  lustily,  and  about  me  was  a  confusion  of  blue 
and  gray  coats,  a  struggling  mass  of  speaking 
and  dumb  animals,  a  clashing  of  metal,  and 
hoarse  words  of  defiance. 

Just  as  I  began  to  feel  that  I  was  safely  through 
our  adversary's  line,  my  horse  stumbled  beneath 
me  and  went  down  in  spite  of  my  efforts  to  get 
it  to  its  feet,  and  over  and  around  me  flashed  the 
trampling  heels  of  my  followers'  horses  as  they 
thundered  by  with  rattling  scabbards  and  clanking 
harness.  It  was  one  of  the  fortunes  of  war  and 
I  expected  to  be  crushed  where  I  lay,  but  they 
passed  by  leaving  me  untouched. 

I  had  risen  to  my  feet  when  a  bearded  young 
Federal  officer,  wearing  the  straps  of  a  lieutenant, 
who  had  been  unhorsed  in  the  charge,  came  run 
ning  up  and  with  drawn  sword  demanded  my  sur 
render.  My  own  blade  was  still  in  my  hand,  and 
presenting  it  I  demanded  that  he  himself  should 
yield.  Instantly  we  were  fighting  as  though  the 
issue  of  the  battle  depended  upon  the  strength  of 
our  arms.  Presently  my  opponent,  who  had  ex 
hibited  a  skill  not  anticipated  by  me,  called  out 
my  name  in  a  loud  tone  of  surprise  and  withheld 
his  hand.  Taking  it  that  he  desired  to  yield,  al 
though  he  was  far  from  being  overcome,  and  be 
ing  surprised  that  he  knew  me,  I  also  withheld 
my  hand. 

Before  either  had  time  to  speak  a  horseman 
dashed  up  and  aimed  a  blow  at  the  officer  with 


With  the  Great  Raider        1 1 7 

his  saber.  I  thrust  out  my  sword  just  in  time  to 
turn  the  weapon  aside,  and  looking  up  saw  that 
it  was  my  unceremonious  corporal.  Without  wait 
ing  to  hear  the  rebuke  that  was  rolling  hot  from 
my  lips,  he  jumped  down,  and,  with  a  salute, 
exclaimed : 

"They  are  forming  for  the  return  charge;  take 
my  horse,  sir,"  and  then  the  rascal,  pushing  the 
rein  into  my  hand,  scampered  off  after  a  loose 
animal  that  was  standing,  bewildered  and  snort 
ing,  a  little  distance  away. 

"Thank  you,  Captain  Trenham.  My  beard 
has  grown,  but  your  old  friend,  Paul  Venault,  sa 
lutes  you." 

With  that  he  started  after  the  corporal,  for  the 
horse  was  no  doubt  his.  My  astonishment  was 
so  great  that  I  could  not  utter  a  word,  nor  indeed 
did  I  have  time,  for,  as  the  corporal  had  said, 
my  men  had  checked  up  a  couple  of  hundred 
yards  further  on  and  had  already  faced  about. 

Spurring  toward  them  I  looked  to  see  how  our 
comrades  were  faring  south  of  the  road,  and  saw 
the  tall  form  of  the  General  at  the  head  of  his 
column  ready  for  another  blow.  And  while  I 
watched,  that  column  started  back,  compact  and 
steady,  and  like  a  human  wedge  it  drove  itself 
into  and  through  the  line  of  the  enemy.  At  the 
very  front,  as  the  keen  edge  of  the  wedge,  rode 
the  General  himself  as  it  plunged  into  the  moving 


ii8  The  Legionaries 

mass  of  blue  and  cleft  its  way  where  resistance 
seemed  the  most  determined. 

On  rejoining  my  men  I  looked  back  to  see 
what  my  late  opponents  were  doing,  and  observed 
that  they  seemed  to  be  in  doubt  as  to  their  further 
course.  While  they  wavered  it  occurred  to  me  to 
get  into  the  greater  fight  where  I  thought  I  saw 
a  chance  to  achieve  a  more  conclusive  result. 
Scarce  a  hundred  yards  lay  between  my  present 
position  and  the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  now 
already  in  confusion,  and  I  had  it  in  mind  to  fol 
low  my  General.  But  this  we  were  not  allowed  to 
do,  for  our  opponents  suddenly  started  toward  us 
like  mad, 

So,  giving  the  command,  we  set  out  to  meet 
them  in  a  final  struggle  for  the  mastery.  Gath 
ering  quick  speed,  with  sabers  gripped  firmly  and 
feet  well  stirruped  for  the  shock,  we  went  ham 
mering  back  over  the  green  turf.  Cheers  broke 
from  the  throats  of  Burkley's  gentlemen  as  we 
struck  the  foe,  hesitated,  then  grappled  for  an  in 
stant,  while  the  morning  sun  glinted  from  rising 
and  falling  blades. 

A  participant  sees  few  things  clearly  in  a  charge 
of  cavalry  against  cavalry.  It  means  action,  mo 
tion,  set  jaws,  flaming  eyes,  the  curses  of  the 
reckless,  and  uproar  indescribable.  So  it  was  in 
this  fierce  onset,  now  so  stubbornly  resisted.  A 
glancing  blow  upon  the  shoulder  nearly  unseated 
me  once,  but  the  charge  wore  itself  out  at  last  and 


With  the  Great  Raider        1 1 9 

the  contestants  tore  themselves  apart  piecemeal 
and  roared  onward  like  a  rock-broken  torrent. 

Many  riderless  horses  galloped  about  the  field, 
confused,  and  with  heads  held  high  in  frightened 
liberty.  A  noble  bay  which  went  neighing  by 
near  me  bore  such  a  striking  resemblance  to 
the  animal  I  had  been  compelled  to  abandon  at 
Louisville  that  I  shouted  its  name,  whereat  it 
stopped  suddenly  as  if  in  doubt.  Again  I  called 
and  it  came  bounding  to  my  side  and  followed 
me  along.  Its  superior  trappings  showed  that  it 
had  been  ridden  by  an  officer.  Turning  in  my 
saddle  I  saw  that  the  Federals  were  withdrawing, 
for  the  time  seemingly  demoralized,  and  I  won 
dered  if  the  result  would  have  been  different  had 
the  gallant  Crespy  been  at  their  head,  and  thought 
of  the  pain  in  his  soldier  heart  as  he  watched  the 
fight  going  against  them. 

But  this  was  not  all  that  I  saw.  Across  the  field 
on  foot  came  my  corporal  bearing  along  with  him 
as  a  prisoner  the  luckless  Venault,  who  was  limping 
dreadfully  and  looked  chagrined  and  dispirited.  I 
learned  afterward  that  in  running  after  the  cor 
poral  he  had  become  entangled  with  his  scabbard 
and  fallen,  wrenching  his  knee  and  breaking  his 
sword.  He  had  then  become  the  easy  victim  of 
his  foe,  who  thenceforward  devoted  his  time  to 
bringing  him  into  our  lines. 

Venault's  misfortune  upset  him  sadly,  and 
the  humiliation  of  it  seemed  to  grind  him  more 


I2O  The  Legionaries 

than  his  injury,  though  the  agony  caused  by  the 
wrenched  ligaments  must  have  been  very  great. 
He  had  been  in  the  Federal  army  almost  a  year, 
he  told  me.  His  restless  spirit  craved  excite 
ment,  and,  as  his  own  country  was  at  peace,  he 
had  followed  the  example  of  the  Count  of  Paris 
and  come  to  America.  Enlisting  the  good  offices 
of  the  French  minister,  he  got  a  commission  after 
a  time,  and  had  seen  a  good  deal  of  hard  service. 

"Well  done,  Captain  Trenham,"  called  out 
the  General,  as  I  neared  the  spot  where  he  was 
resting  his  panting  horses.  "That  finished  them, 
I  think,  but  I  believe  we  had  better  not  tie  our 
selves  here." 

Praise  from  the  General  was  always  generous 
when  deserved,  and  strengthened  the  attachment 
of  his  followers.  But  it  was  never  recklessly  be 
stowed,  and  there  was  honest  striving  for  his  ap 
proval.  It  was  not  the  first  time  that  good  for 
tune  had  brought  me  to  his  attention  and  elicited 
commendation.  Our  good  services  had  been 
pledged  in  advance  and  we  had  felt  obliged  on 
every  occasion  to  do  our  best,  which,  I  may  as 
sert,  we  would  have  done  had  no  pledge  been 
given. 

After  a  few  minutes  our  march  was  resumed  on 
the  westward  road,  and  we  picked  up  my  two  men 
and  Colonel  Crespy  on  the  way.  An  hour's  travel 
brought  us  to  the  Bardstown  turnpike,  and  about 
eleven  o'clock  we  appeared  before  that  town  to 


With  the  Great  Raider        121 

find  that  a  small  force  there  was  hotly  resisting 
the  entrance  of  our  comrades  who  had  arrived  on 
the  evening  before.  The  General  was  informed 
of  the  situation;  how  the  Federals,  consisting,  as 
we  afterward  learned,  of  a  single  troop,  stationed 
in  a  building  commanding  the  principal  street,  had 
held  off  a  portion  of  his  command  for  the  better 
part  of  a  day,  were  still  unconquered  and  stub 
bornly  refused  to  surrender.  Then  it  was  that, 
for  the  first  and  last  time,  I  saw  our  leader  furious 
with  anger  and  impatience. 

"Great  God!  sir,"  he  exclaimed  to  the  senior 
officer,  who  had  all  forenoon  worried  over  the 
problem  of  how  to  dislodge  the  foe  without  yet 
being  able  to  solve  it,  "do  you  mean  to  spend  the 
summer  here?  We  shall  have  all  the  Unionists  in 
the  Kentucky  department  about  our  ears  at  this 
rate.  Get  your  guns  in  position,  send  another 
flag  and  then  if  they  do  not  surrender  shell  them 
out.  It  is  well  enough  to  be  brave,  but  they 
need  not  be  fools." 

After  that  the  affair  came  to  an  end  as  quickly 
as  could  be  desired  even  by  the  General  himself, 
for  when  the  little  band  of  defenders  saw  that  can 
non  were  trained  upon  their  improvised  fortress  at 
a  range  that  would  tear  the  building  to  pieces  and 
them  along  with  it  they  laid  down  their  arms  and 
came  out.  The  General,  his  wrath  appeased, 
complimented  their  courage  and  let  them  go  upon 
their  paroles,  releasing  at  the  same  time  and  in 


122  The  Legionaries 

the  same  way  Colonel  Crespy  and  my  friend  Paul. 
I  never  saw  the  latter  afterward,  but  in  that  dread 
ful  war  between  his  own  country  and  Prussia  a 
few  years  later  he  was  a  colonel  of  hussars,  and 
was  killed  while  leading  a  charge  at  Gravelotte. 

We  had  enough  to  bother  us  without  carrying 
along  a  lot  of  prisoners  to  hamper  our  move 
ments.  Our  scouts  were  constantly  bringing  in 
reports  of  the  tremendous  activities  of  the  Fed 
erals,  whom  Morgan  was  doing  all  in  his  power 
to  mislead.  For  that  purpose  he  had  heretofore 
divided  his  force,  and  for  that  purpose,  also,  he 
had,  through  his  private  operator,  tapped  the  tel 
egraph  wires  in  secluded  places,  and  intercepted 
the  enemy's  messages,  thus  learning  many  of  the 
things  that  were  being  proposed  and  done  to  cir 
cumvent  him.  And  there  are  grave  reasons  for 
doubting  the  authenticity  as  well  as  the  accuracy 
of  answers  to  some  of  these  messages  that  were 
sent  flying  back  to  the  Unionist  headquarters. 

There  may  be  those  who  do  not  admit  the 
justness  of  strategy  such  as  this.  But  in  the  mat 
ter  of  military  diplomacy  I  have  always  observed 
that  the  principal  thing  is  to  win,  and  that  one 
who  is  determined  to  follow  strictly  moral  and 
straightforward  lines  in  all  relations  has  no  busi 
ness  at  the  head  of  an  army  situated  as  ours  was. 

Not  a  man  among  us  doubted  the  ability  of 
our  General  to  extricate  himself  from  the  difficul 
ties  that  were  being  thrown  around  him.  The 


With  the  Great  Raider        123 

word  had  been  given,  as  we  all  knew,  that  his 
command  should  be  pursued  to  the  last  ditch  and 
destroyed.  But  he  had  hitherto  avoided  so  many 
traps  and  fought  his  way  through  so  much  oppo 
sition  that  his  men  had  come  to  believe  in  his 
invincibility,  and  were  eager  to  follow  him  any 
where.  That  he  believed  thus  strongly  in  him 
self  I  will  not  affirm,  but  I  do  declare  the  fact 
— for  fact  it  is — that  he  was  undaunted  to  the 
end. 


CHAPTER  IX 

ON   BRANDENBURG   HEIGHTS 

ON  the  morning  of  the  second  day  after  this, 
the  date  being  the  8th  of  July,  1863,  the  Gener 
al's  combined  force  reached  the  small  town  of 
Brandenburg,  situated  on  the  Kentucky  shore  of 
the  Ohio  river. 

We  had  been  without  knowledge  as  to  our  des 
tination,  our  duty  being  only  to  follow  and  obey. 
It  was  rumored  among  the  men — who  sometimes 
guessed  closely  to  the  truth — and  believed  by 
some  of  the  officers,  that  General  Morgan  had  set 
out  to  accomplish  at  Louisville  a  part  of  what 
General  Bragg  had  failed  to  do  in  the  previous 
year.  There  was  talk  that  the  city  was  poorly 
garrisoned,  which,  if  true,  was  no  doubt  because 
it  was  not  thought  that  any  Confederate  com 
mander  would  be  so  audacious  as  to  undertake  its 
seizure.  To  do  so,  it  would  be  necessary  to 
traverse  more  than  two  hundred  miles  of  country 
then  in  possession  of  the  Unionists. 

But  if  that  had  really  been  our  General's  object 

— as  I  am  now  certain  that  it  was  not,  whatever  his 

orders  may  have  been  from  his  superiors — he  had 

at  least  temporarily  abandoned   it,  for  we  had 

(124) 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      125 

borne  off  to  the  westward,  and  were  now  more 
than  two  score  miles  below  that  city.  There  were 
not  wanting  among  the  officers  some  who  be 
lieved  that  he  was  following  a  plan  of  his  own. 
Just  what  it  was  had  caused  a  great  deal  of  con 
jecture,  since  the  original  surmises  had  to  be  dis 
carded. 

All  knew  that  the  armies  of  Bragg  and  Buck- 
ner  were  dangerously  beset  by  the  Federal  forces, 
which  were  gradually  tightening  the  lines  about 
them,  and  that  unless  these  lines  could  be  loos 
ened  by  some  astounding  diversion  they  were 
likely  to  be  speedily  overwhelmed.  If  that  were 
actually  the  General's  purpose,  it  had  been  suc 
cessful  thus  far,  as  important  bodies  of  soldiery 
had  been  withdrawn  from  other  affairs  and  set 
upon  our  track. 

We  had  ridden  like  the  wind  for  two  weeks, 
every  day  of  which  we  had  been  compelled  either 
to  dodge  or  fight  as  best  suited  the  mood  of  our 
commander,  for  he  could  be  as  discreet  as  any 
when  he  chose,  and  also  as  rash  as  any.  I  have 
said  before  that  he  eluded  the  enemy  when  he 
could,  but  it  must  not  be  understood  that  he  ever 
relinquished  a  path  that  he  seriously  desired  to 
pursue  without  a  contest  for  the  right  of  way. 

And  now  Brandenburg,  with  the  Ohio  river  in 
a  fog  at  our  feet !  Are  we  to  turn  back  or  go  on? 
If  to  go  on,  what  is  there  for  us  beyond  the  fog? 

We  are  to  cross,  so  the  order  has  been  given. 


126  The  Legionaries 

To  that  end  the  troops  of  Captains  Taylor  and 
Merriwether  had  been  sent  pellmell  in  advance  of 
us  the  day  previous  to  look  after  ferriage.  By 
good  fortune  two  large  steamboats  had  fallen 
easily  into  their  hands  and  these  were  now  at  the 
wharf  ready  to  carry  us  over. 

We  had  been  in  the  saddle  since  midnight,  with 
only  a  few  hours'  rest  before,  but  these  were  iron 
men  and  they  showed  little  sign  of  weariness. 
They  laughed  and  seemed  happy.  Most  of  them 
were  young  and  full  of  the  fire  and  daring  of 
youth,  fit  followers  for  such  a  leader.  No  enter 
prise  to  which  he  could  put  his  hand  would  be 
too  desperate  to  suit  them,  and  the  more  reckless 
it  seemed  that  much  more  was  it  likely  to  stir 
their  enthusiasm  and  entice  them  onward.  They 
asked  only  to  know  his  will. 

As  they  looked  down  from  the  heights  to  the 
river  and  across  it  toward  the  Indiana  border, 
now  faintly  visible  through  the  slowly  lifting  fog, 
they  were  filled  with  an  almost  childish  joy  and 
eagerness.  In  truth  it  was  a  fair  and  rich  field, 
unswept  by  war.  No  hostile  army  had  trod  its 
soil  or  disturbed  the  tranquillity  of  its  inhabitants. 

The  General,  sitting  his  horse  a  little  way  off, 
did  not  appear  to  be  less  sanguine  and  eager  than 
his  men.  What  thoughts  were  in  his  mind  as  he 
looked  at  that  inviting  shore  line  through  the  dis 
solving  mist?  Did  he  think  of  easy  conquest  cr 
of  the  amazing  sensation  that  he  was  about  to 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      127 

<ause?  A  smile  rested  upon  his  strong,  sun- 
bronzed  face  as  he  watched  his  men  making  ready 
for  a  journey  that  was  destined  to  try  their  very 
souls.  While  he  paused  thus,  now  and  then  ex 
changing  words  with  Colonel  Duke,  a  shrewd 
officer  for  whom  he  had  the  highest  regard,  and 
who  just  now  did  not  seem  to  be  in  a  very  good 
humor,  a  man  walked  up  and  saluted. 

"Why,  it  is  Captain  Hines,"  exclaimed  Duke. 

"So  it  is,"  said  the  General,  "and  I  am  glad 
to  see  you,  Captain.  Where  is  your  company?" 

"Here,"  said  the  officer — though  at  that  mo 
ment  he  looked  little  like  one — striking  himself 
on  the  breast,  a  grim  smile  playing  about  his  res 
olute  mouth. 

"But  your  men,  sir,"  persisted  the  General. 

"There,"  returned  the  captain,  pointing  to 
ward  the  river  and  then  at  the  green  shore  be 
yond.  "Some  of  them  were  captured  and  some 
of  them  were  drowned,  like  the  brave  fellows  they 
were,  in  trying  to  get  out  of  that  hornet's  nest. 
I  report  for  duty,  General.  My  experience  over 
there  has  not  been  to  my  liking,  but  I  am  ready 
to  go  back." 

The  commander's  face  clouded.  "It  will  do 
no  good  to  complain  of  the  loss  of  so  many  good 
men,  even  though  they  are  needed  badly,"  he 
said,  with  a  motion  of  his  hand  as  if  he  were 
throwing  the  whole  matter  aside,  "but  I  do  not 
understand  how  you  happened  to  be  there." 


128  The  Legionaries 

"I  was  given  permission  to  operate  north  of 
the  Cumberland,  General." 

"So  you  were;  but  heavens,  man,  did  you 
construe  your  orders  to  authorize  you  to  invade 
a  hostile  state  with  your  single  troop  ?  The  next 
time  I  send  a  corporal  out  with  a  squad  I  shall 
expect  to  hear  of  him  marching  on  to  Washing 
ton  with  a  demand  for  its  surrender  in  his  mouth 
ready  framed.  But  never  mind,  Hines;  you  are 
a  man  after  my  own  heart,  and  gave  them  a  merry 
dance,  I'll  be  bound." 

"Indeed  I  did,  sir,  and  they  gave  me  a  merrier. 
I  thought  I  might  be  able  to  stir  up  the  copper 
heads,  but  the  legionaries  allowed  me  no  time  for 
any  such  diplomatic  diversion." 

They  moved  away  presently,  the  General  and 
Colonel  Duke  going  down  to  the  landing  while 
Captain  Hines  started  off  to  look  up  the  quarter 
master  to  whom  he  was  directed  to  report  his  need 
of  equipment.  The  latter  stopped  long  enough 
by  my  side  to  give  me  a  shake  of  the  hand  and 
to  hear  my  hearty  expression  of  satisfaction  at  his 
personal  safety,  then  went  on,  waving  his  hand 
right  and  left  in  salutation  and  exchanging  greet 
ings  with  his  comrades. 

For  this  man  was  as  chivalrous  a  soul  as  ever 
bestrode  a  horse,  and  the  ill-success  of  his  bit  of 
knight-errantry  was  not  counted  against  him  when 
it  became  known  how  gallantly  he  had  borne 
himself.  With  the  enemy  in  overwhelming  num- 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      129 

bers  pressing  upon  him  he  had  taken  to  the  wa 
ter,  and  with  a  remnant  of  his  company  had  suc 
ceeded  in  reaching  an  island.  Beyond  this  the 
channel  was  swift  and  deep  and  was  patrolled  by 
a  gunboat  that  inflicted  great  damage.  Yet  he 
boldly  plunged  in,  and  with  two  men  out  of  the 
sixty  who  had  followed  him  got  safely  to  the 
more  friendly  southern  shore,  where  be  became 
separated  from  the  others  and  by  mere  chance  was 
enabled  to  rejoin  our  forces  at  the  moment  of  our 
embarkation  for  the  scene  of  his  disaster. 

Probably  I  alone  of  all  the  adventurous  band 
about  me — so  eager  to  reach  the  coveted  land 
and  so  careless  of  the  consequences  of  a  project  so 
daring — looked  with  dismay  and  regret  upon  the 
prospect  that  confronted  us.  I  drew  a  little  apart 
from  the  others  while  awaiting  orders,  but  did 
not  dismount,  and  gazed  northward  with  a  heavy 
heart.  Less  than  a  score  of  miles  away,  over  the 
green  hills,  I  saw,  in  my  fancy,  a  little  valley  in 
which  were  two  houses  that  held  those  who  were 
dearest  to  me  in  life — my  mother,  and  that  other 
one,  who,  though  neither  kith  nor  kin,  still  filled 
my  soul. 

It  was  months  since  I  had  last  looked  upon  that 
peaceful  scene — months  of  danger,  of  foray  and  bat 
tle,  of  victory  and  defeat,  of  wild  charges  and  pre 
cipitate  retreats.  I  had  become,  to  all  outward 
seeming,  much  as  the  other  men,  reveling  in  peril 
9 — LEGIONARIES. 


130  The  Legionaries 

and  dare-devil  divertisement,  yet  often  in  the 
thick  of  conflict  staying  my  uplifted  sword  as 
there  would  flash  before  my  mental  vision  the  fair 
face  and  appealing  eyes  of  her  who,  I  felt  sure,  de 
sired  my  welfare  but  prayed  for  the  defeat  of  my 
cause.  Not  that  I  shirked  my  duty  as  I  had  under 
taken  to  perform  it — God  forbid  that  my  manhood 
should  be  open  to  a  suspicion  so  recreant ! — but  at 
such  times,  in  spite  of  myself,  my  will  would  fail 
and  my  muscles  lose  their  tension.  And  even 
now  I  would  have  turned  back  these  invaders  had 
the  power  been  mine  and  breasted  them  against 
the  thousands  thundering  behind  us.  But  I  could 
neither  do  that  nor  withdraw  myself  from  partici' 
pation  in  the  raid. 

So  much  for  a  sentiment  which  I  am  not  ashamed 
to  avow,  and  if  it  be  considered  evidence  of  weak 
ness,  then  I  was  weak.  I  am  not  criticising  any 
one,  General  Morgan  least  of  all.  This  was  war 
and  he  was  a  soldier,  and  none  more  gallant  ever 
lived,  to  my  mind.  The  Northland  was  not  more 
sacred  than  the  not  less  fair  fields  of  the  South. 
And  this  man,  called  marauder,  guerrilla  and 
bandit  by  the  hasty  and  inconsiderate,  after  all 
pursued  his  ill-starred  way  with  a  moderation  that 
gave  the  lie  to  his  accusers  and  marked  him  a 
knightly  cavalier. 

While  I  remained  thus,  burdened  with  my  re 
flections,  a  man,  who,  judging  from  his  dress, 
was  neither  officer  nor  private,  came  toward  me 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      131 

on  foot.  He  was  in  appearance  near  thirty  years 
of  age,  fair  and  little  weather-stained,  in  the 
latter  respect  contrasting  strongly  with  the  rough 
riders  through  whom  he  had  made  his  way.  He 
was  of  good  figure  and  handsome  features,  but 
bore  a  countenance  unmistakably  sinister  in  its 
expression.  A  certain  sort  of  courage  seemed  to 
shine  from  his  light  blue  eyes,  yet  there  was 
something  unsteady  and  shifting  in  the  manner  of 
his  gaze  that  seemed  to  give  warning  of  insincer 
ity,  if  not  of  downright  treachery.  I  did  not  par 
ticularly  note  these  things  at  the  time,  for  I  barely 
observed  him  until  he  spoke. 

"Well,  Captain  Trenham,  what  do  you  think 
of  the  prospect?"  he  said  familiarly,  a  disagreea 
ble  smile  curling  his  lips. 

I  turned  my  head  and  looked  at  him  fairly; 
looked,  but  did  not  answer  at  once,  for  I  could 
not  recognize  in  my  questioner  an  acquaintance, 
or  in  truth  one  that  I  had  seen  before.  When  I 
did  speak,  it  was  to  say  sharply — for  the  manner 
of  his  interruption  nettled  me : 

"You  have  my  name,  sir,  but  I  have  not 
yours." 

"A  name  is  of  little  consequence  these  days, 
and  sits  lightly  on  many  men,"  he  returned,  un 
ruffled.  "I  am  not  always  particular  as  to  my 
own,  but  since  you  suggest  it,  I  give  the  name  of 
Dallas  Vawter,  which,  as  it  happens,  is  the  one 
that  my  parents  gave  to  me." 


132  The  Legionaries 

"And  why  is  my  opinion  important  to  you, 
Mr.  Vawter?  Why  don't  you  question  the  Gen 
eral  as  to  what  he  thinks?"  I  asked  with  scant 
courtesy.  I  felt  an  instinctive  dislike  of  this 
stranger,  who,  for  some  cause,  had  picked  me  out 
as  a  target  for  his  tongue. 

"You  are  abrupt,  Mr.  Captain,  but  I  do  not 
mind  answering  your  query  if  you  are  not  dis 
posed  to  answer  mine,"  Vawter  said  with  a  sneer. 
"As  you  formerly  lived  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Corydon,  which  place  no  doubt  you  will  presently 
see,  I  thought  that  you  might  be  peculiarly  inter 
ested." 

"You  seem  to  have  put  yourself  out  to  learn 
my  history,  sir,"  I  responded,  my  curiosity 
awakening  in  spite  of  me,  for  I  had  entered  the 
service  of  the  South  as  from  Virginia,  and  so  far  as 
I  was  aware  not  a  man,  from  the  General  down, 
knew  that  I  had  ever  resided  elsewhere. 

"Not  at  all,  I  assure  you,  Captain,"  he  said 
with  an  irritating  half  laugh  intended  to  discom 
fort  me,  for  he  was  quick  enough  to  see  that  he 
had  made  an  impression  and  meant  to  strengthen 
it.  "I  have  recently  been  a  resident  of  that 
delightful  locality  and  heard  somewhat  of  one 
John  Trenham  who  went  off  to  join  the  rebels. 
So  keen  was  he  to  show  his  prowess  that  he  en 
gaged  a  party  of  the  legionaries  on  the  highway 
before  he  had  fairly  warmed  his  saddle.  Oh,  it 
was  no  trouble  to  hear  of  you  if  one  were  inclined 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      133 

to  listen.  You  will  be  received  with  befitting 
hospitality  if  by  chance  they  learn  that  you  are 
with  General  Morgan.  If  you  were  a  stranger  like 
these  others  you  would  fare  better,  I  think." 

"If  you  are  a  resident  of  Corydon,  how  does 
it  come  that  you  are  here?"  I  inquired  suspi 
ciously,  overlooking  his  offensive  tone. 

"I  might  retort  by  putting  the  same  interroga 
tory  to  you,  but  I  will  not.  A  residence  is  like 
a  name — it  may  be  changed  as  one's  convenience 
or  necessities  demands.  Your  General  has  done 
me  the  honor  to  accept  my  services  in  a  capacity 
that  may  be  useful  to  him  in  the  first  stages  of 
his  expedition.  I  joined  you  at  Garnettsville  last 
night.  I  am  a  man  of  peace,  you  understand," 
he  went  on  with  a  leer,  "but  I  do  not  object  to 
doing  a  little  thing  like  this  for  my  friends.  I  am 
a  Kentuckian,  like  most  of  these  sturdy  fellows 
about  us,  but  not  given  to  turmoil,  so  I  moved 
across  the  river.  It  is  more  quiet  over  there." 

"To  be  plain  about  it,"  said  I,  bluntly,  "it  is 
your  trade  to  betray  and  not  to  fight. ' ' 

His  face  reddened  and  he  flashed  upward  an 
ugly  look.  "That  is  putting  the  case  rather 
baldly,  sir,"  he  cried,  with  heat,  moving  a  step  or 
two  further  away;  "but  you  yourself  have  heard 
that  all  is  fair  in  love  and  war,  and  I  now  desire 
a  slight  taste  of  the  latter  since  I  have  so  lately 
succeeded  in  the  other  field ;  and  I  pledge  you  my 


134  The  Legionaries 

word  that  the  fair  Kate  Bellray  is  well  worth  the 
winning,  rank  Unionist  though  she  is." 

With  one  bound  of  my  horse  I  was  by  his  side, 
and  leaning  over  the  saddle  horn  I  seized  him  by 
the  collar. 

"Scoundrel!"  said  I,  fiercely,  not  accustomed 
to  being  played  with,  and  believing  that  the  man 
was  lying  in  his  teeth.  "Speak  that  lady's  name 
again  in  my  presence  and  I  will  wring  your  slan 
derous  neck,"  and  I  flung  him  from  me  with 
such  violence  that  he  was  sent  rolling  upon  the 
ground. 

He  got  up  white  with  passion.  "Oho!  I  was 
not  mistaken  in  guessing  which  way  the  wind 
blows  with  you,"  he  cried,  glaring  at  me  wick 
edly.  "May  the  devil  be  a  saint  if  I  don't  make 
you  pay  dearly  for  this  pleasantry  of  yours,  Mas 
ter  Trenham!" 

And  then  muttering  to  himself  in  his  fury  he 
turned  and  walked  toward  the  river,  brushing  the 
dust  from  his  clothes  and  feeling  of  his  bruised 
neck  as  he  went.  No  time  was  allowed  me  to 
entertain  disquieting  thoughts  concerning  this 
man  who  had  taken  such  pains  to  hunt  me  out  and 
make  himself  obnoxious — getting  the  worst  of 
the  transaction,  however,  as  I  viewed  it.  A  seri 
ous  present  business  now  claimed  my  attention. 

"Boom!"  The  fog  had  already  cleared  away 
and  on  the  far  side  of  the  river — here  more 
than  half  a  mile  wide — rose  a  great  puff  of  white 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      135 

smoke.  It  was  the  challenge  of  the  legionaries. 
Instantly  afterward  the  men  on  one  of  the  steam 
ers  began  to  disembark  hurriedly.  A  solid  shot 
had  carried  away  part  of  the  vessel's  smokestack. 

"Boom!"  There  was  another  puff  of  smoke 
on  the  Indiana  shore,  and  another  shot  caused  a 
hasty  evacuation  of  the  wharf.  A  third  and  a 
fourth  followed,  and  the  cavalry  then  on  the  river 
front  fell  further  back,  laughing  and  chattering 
among  themselves  with  an  abandon  that  showed 
how  little  they  recked  of  danger. 

Presently  from  the  Brandenburg  heights  there 
was  a  flash  and  a  roar,  as  our  guns  answered  the 
seemingly  solitary  but  audacious  cannon  oppo 
site.  Another  discharge,  and  then  the  little  force 
of  rural  artillerymen  who  had  sought  to  sweep 
back  the  tide  of  invasion  was  seen  to  withdraw 
quickly  into  the  interior,  whereupon  the  com 
mander  of  the  battery  turned  his  attention  to  a 
company  of  legionaries  that  had  been  posted 
along  the  bank  to  resist  our  passage,  and  soon 
sent  them  flying  after  their  artillery. 

The  way  now  being  open,  a  part  of  the  troops, 
leaving  their  horses  behind,  were  sent  across  the 
river  to  prevent  further  interruptions  from  the 
shore. 

But  we  were  not  to  be  allowed  to  effect  a  pass 
age  until  a  new  and  greater  difficulty  was  over 
come.  Hardly  had  the  detachment  accomplished 
a  landing  when  a  Federal  gunboat  came  rapidly 


136  The  Legionaries 

down  the  river  and  began  firing  with  all  its  might 
and  main,  first  at  the  enemy  on  one  side  and  then 
at  the  force  on  the  other.  The  guns  on  the  heights 
answered  shot  for  shot.  The  duel  continued  for 
an  hour,  when  the  boat  withdrew  from  the  una 
vailing  combat  and  steamed  away  again  as  quickly 
as  it  had  come. 

The  work  of  crossing  was  resumed  with  all  haste, 
but  before  it  was  finished  the  gunboat  reappeared 
with  two  transports  loaded  with  troops  and 
mounting  guns.  Again  there  was  much  fruitless 
cannonading  and  again  did  the  foe  depart,  leav 
ing  us  to  our  devices.  The  transferring  of  all  the 
remaining  men  and  horses  was  carried  on  without 
further  hindrance. 

By  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  the  last  man  and 
the  last  gun  had  left  the  Kentucky  shore,  and  the 
vessels  that  had  so  well  served  our  purpose  were 
destroyed  in  order  that  they  might  not  perform  a 
like  duty  for  the  army  that  was  pursuing  us  with 
grim  and  unflagging  determination,  as  our  Gen 
eral  very  well  knew. 

Marching  a  few  miles  inland,  orders  were  given 
to  encamp  for  the  night.  On  all  sides  the  fright 
ened  inhabitants  had  fled  from  their  homes,  tak 
ing  refuge  in  such  places  of  concealment  as  they 
could  find  as  if  they  held  us  to  be  common  cut 
throats  ;  and  indeed  I  have  no  doubt  that  many 
of  them  did  honestly  so  hold  us,  seeing  that 
the  character  of  these  valorous  men  had  been 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      137 

grossly  misunderstood  and  defamed.  That  there 
were  appropriations  of  private  property  for  which 
our  General  was  unable  to  make  adequate  recom 
pense,  I  can  not  deny;  but  it  will  now  be  admit 
ted,  even  by  those  who  were  then  his  opposers, 
that,  having  the  power  to  do  so  much,  the  fact 
that  he  did  so  little  that  was  unjustified  by  the 
rules  of  war,  proves  that  he  essayed  to  limit  his 
purveyors  as  far  as  he  was  able  to  the  necessities 
of  his  command. 

The  war-beaten  districts  to  which  we  had  been 
accustomed  were  desert  wastes  compared  with 
the  untouched  country  into  which  we  had  now 
come,  and  the  abundance  surrounding  them, 
added  to  the  knowledge  that  they  were  in  the 
enemy's  country,  sufficed  to  persuade  many  of  our 
thoughtless  fellows  to  regard  looting  for  suste 
nance  as  a  virtue.  Thus  it  happened  that  unde 
fended  household  stores  fell  as  easy  and  much- 
relished  spoils  into  their  hands ;  thence  speedily 
into  their  not  over-filled  stomachs. 

It  was  yet  early  in  the  night — probably  an  hour 
after  darkness  had  fallen — when  an  orderly  from 
headquarters  brought  to  me  a  message  command 
ing  my  presence  before  the  General.  I  went  at 
once  and  found  him  alone,  busy  with  a  map  that 
was  spread  out  before  him.  As  I  entered  he 
looked  up,  then,  seeing  who  it  was,  said  without 
any  preliminaries : 


138  The  Legionaries 

"Captain  Trenham,  I  am  told  that  you  are  fa 
miliar  with  this  country." 

"Not  familiar  with  it,  sir,  but  somewhat  ac 
quainted  with  it,"  I  responded,  knowing  well  the 
source  of  his  information. 

"How  does  it  happen  that  you  have  not  your 
self  told  me  of  the  fact  of  your  former  residence 
here?"  he  asked,  but  not  unkindly. 

"I  leave  you  to  judge  if  my  silence  has  affected 
my  qualities  as  a  soldier,"  said  I.  "Not  until 
this  morning  did  I  certainly  know  you  were  com 
ing  here,  and  since  then  I  have  had  no  conven 
ient  opportunity,  though  I  should  have  told  you 
this  night  in  any  event." 

"I  know  your  worth  and  appreciate  your  serv 
ices,  Captain  Trenham,  but  it  is  possible  that  you 
might  have  given  me  information  that  would  have 
aided  my  plans  had  I  known.  However,  it  is 
time  enough.  I  have  been  told  by  one  Vaw- 
ter— " 

"Pardon  me,  sir,  but  the  man  is  plainly  a  ras 
cal,"  said  I,  unable  to  restrain  my  tongue,  which 
ordinarily  was  discreet  enough. 

The  General  laughed.  "No  doubt  he  is  all 
that  and  more ;  but  he  tells  me  that  you  have  a 
much  better  knowledge  of  this  country  than  he 
has  and  that  is  why  I  have  sent  for  you.  Tre 
mendous  efforts  will  be  made  to  capture  or  kill  us 
— and  at  all  hazards  to  prevent  my  command 
from  recrossing  the  Ohio.  The  dice  are  thrown; 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      139 

we  are  in  the  enemy's  country,  with  no  hope  of 
support  from  the  South,  and  must  depend  upon  our 
own  resources.  And  I  say  to  you,  Captain,  that 
I  am  resolved  to  give  them  a  lively  chase.  We 
can  scatter  the  legionaries  and  homeguards  like  so 
much  chaff,  but  we  will  have  more  than  these  un- 
tasseled  cornstalks  to  contend  with  before  many 
days  have  gone  by.  Therefore  I  must  know  all  I 
can,  and  shall  look  to  you  for  such  information 
respecting  my  situation  as  you  can  give." 

"Such  as  an  honorable  soldier  may  give,  who, 
by  the  fortunes  of  war,  finds  himself  treading  a3 
an  enemy  the  soil  in  which  his  father  is  buried,  is 
at  your  service,  General,"  said  I,  feeling  safe  in 
making  the  statement,  for  I  did  not  believe  that 
he  would  ask  more  of  me  than  this. 

"I  think  I  understand  you,"  he  said  quickly, 
smiling,  for  my  language  must  have  sounded  to 
him  a  trifle  grandiloquent.  "I  shall  not  expect 
you  to  be  either  guide  or  spy  in  your  own  baili 
wick,  as  Colonel  Duke  would  say  in  his  lawyer's 
flummery.  What  I  want  to  know  is  not  which 
road  to  take  but  whether  we  have  any  friends 
among  the  inhabitants." 

"I  believe  that  there  are  many  who,  if  not 
friends,  are  at  least  not  enemies,  but  I  have  no 
recent  knowledge  of  them,  and,  I  fear,  can  not 
much  enlighten  you,"  I  returned,  with  a  suspi 
cion  that  he  knew  a  great  deal  more  of  the  matter 
than  I. 


140  The  Legionaries 

"I  have  been  told,"  the  General  resumed,  after 
a  moment  of  silence,  "that  there  is  a  certain  or 
ganization  widespread  throughout  this  State  whose 
members  are  friendly  to  the  South.  It  has  been 
said — and  even  promised  by  some  in  authority,  or 
at  least  claiming  authority  in  the  organization — 
that  these  men  would  rally  to  the  assistance  of 
any  considerable  Confederate  force  that  should 
cross  the  Ohio.  Now,  my  force  is  not  large,  but 
it  is  respectable  and  capable  of  giving  an  account 
of  itself.  Its  presence  here  is  unexpected  by  these 
people  and  is  actually  due  to  a  plan  which,  if  long 
premeditated,  was  somewhat  suddenly  resolved 
upon.  So,  perhaps  we  shall  not  find  them  ready. 
Hines,  of  course,  did  not  know  that  I  was  coming 
here,  and  besides,  he  claims  that  he  was  kept  so 
busy  with  his  military  somersaults  which  finally 
landed  him  in  the  river  that  he  had  time  for  noth 
ing  else." 

Then  I  thought  of  Roger  Bellray  and  of  things 
he  had  talked  about.  Beyond  that  I  knew  little 
and  could  only  give  the  result  of  the  inferences  that 
I  had  drawn. 

"Doubtless  there  is  an  organization,"  I  said, 
"but  I  do  not  believe  that  its  members  will  aid 
you  actively,  if  at  all.  Possibly  there  are  some 
among  them  who  sympathize  with  our  cause, 
and  these  might  be  disposed,  if  the  necessity 
should  come  and  the  opportunity  offer,  to  help 
us  get  out  of  this  country.  We  can  not  hope  for 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      141 

aid  beyond  that.  These  malcontents,  as  I  have 
heard,  are  mostly  men  who  look  upon  the  war 
as  fratricidal  and  unjustified.  Outside  of  a  few 
of  the  leaders  in  the  movement  they  are  content 
to  be  let  alone  by  both  sides.  If  they  fight  at  all 
it  will  be  against  us  rather  than  with  us.  And,  if 
you  will  pardon  me,  I  fear  the  effect  upon  them 
if  they  are  given  cause  to  consider  us  free 
booters." 

"You  are  free  of  speech,  Captain,"  returned 
the  General,  laughing;  "but  you  have  been  a 
bold  soldier  and  we  will  not  quarrel  over  trifles, 
for  in  war  this  thing  of  which  you  speak  is  a  trifle. 
We  have  many  times  in  a  pinch  enforced  assist 
ance  from  our  friends,  and  there  is  no  reason 
why  we  should  not  compel  it  from  our  enemies, 
who  seem,  by  the  way,  to  be  bountifully  supplied. 
Three  thousand  hungry  cavalrymen  in  a  strange 
country,  with  no  provision  train  following,  are 
not  expected  to  observe  strictly  the  distinction 
between  mine  and  thine,  as  Colonel  Duke  ob 
served  a  while  ago.  Now,  as  to  these  other  peo 
ple — these  knights  of  something  or  other — it  is 
really  no  great  matter  after  all,  as  I  have  not  de 
pended  upon  them  in  the  least.  I  shall  consider 
what  you  have  said,  and  may  consult  you  further. 
Good-night." 

Thus  dismissing  me  and  the  subject  he  turned 
again  to  his  map,  pulling  at  his  heavy  mustache. 
Accustomed  to  trust  to  his  own  resources,  with 


142  The  Legionaries 

unshaken  confidence  in  his  troopers  and  in  his 
own  ability  to  overcome  or  evade  any  obstacle,  his 
face  was  as  serene  as  if  he  had  at  his  back  an  army 
of  a  hundred  thousand  instead  of  a  mere  hand 
ful.  He  knew  the  metal  of  his  men  and  laughed 
at  the  storm  his  presence  would  provoke.  That 
storm,  alas,  rose  quickly  and  was  more  violent 
than  this  bold  spirit  dreamed  it  would  be. 

I  was  not  quite  ready  to  take  my  leave,  how 
ever,  as  I  had  a  request  to  prefer.  So,  in  a  few 
words,  I  told  him  about  my  mother  and  how  it 
came  that  she  was  there,  and  asked  permission  to 
leave  the  camp  for  a  few  hours  to  visit  her.  He 
was  tracing  a  line  on  the  map  with  a  pencil  and 
did  not,  apparently,  give  heed  to  what  I  was  say 
ing  until  he  had  made  a  heavy  cross  on  the  paper. 
Then  he  looked  up  quickly  and  said : 

' ' So  your  mother  lives  hereabouts  ?  Well,  God 
forbid  that  I  should  prevent  your  seeing  her.  How 
far  is  it?" 

"A  distance  of  ten  or  twelve  miles." 

"Look  out  for  the  legionary  fellows  and  don't 
scare  them  off;  we  shall  want  some  amusement 
to-morrow,"  he  said,  jocularly. 

Then  taking  up  a  piece  of  paper  he  wrote  and 
signed  a  leave  of  absence  until  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  After  receiving  this  writing  from  his 
hand  another  matter  that  had  been  painfully  in 
my  mind  at  times  during  the  day  recurred  to  me. 
I  hesitated  to  mention  it,  but  making  a  supreme 


On  Brandenburg  Heights      143 

effort  it  at  last  came  out,  while  I  felt  my  face  grow 
hot  and  flushed  with  my  embarrassment. 

"General,  you  know  whether  or  not  I  have 
ever  shirked  any  duty  or  danger  since  I  have 
been  a  member  of  your  command?" 

"What  now,  Captain,"  the  great  raider  ex 
claimed,  in  wonder.  "I  bear  willing  witness  that 
you  have  been  a  true  soldier  and  have  even  ex 
ceeded  the  high  anticipations  of  our  friend  Man- 
drell." 

"Place  me  in  the  rear  of  the  column  to-mor 
row.  Let  the  hands  of  others  who  are  wholly 
strangers  to  these  people  be  lifted  against  them. 
I  bear  them  no  grudge ;  many  of  them  have  be 
friended  those  who  are  dear  to  me,  and  my  heart 
fails  me  here." 

"  I  respect  your  feelings,"  the  General  re 
sponded,  considerately,  "and  it  shall  be  as  you 
wish.  Furthermore,  I  will  guarantee  special  pro 
tection  to  any  for  whom  you  may  desire  it.  But 
I  do  not  intend  to  fight  these  citizens  unless  they 
make  me." 

With  this  he  bade  me  good  night  again,  and  I 
returned  to  my  quarters  to  make  ready  for  my 
journey.  How  different  was  this  home  coming 
from  that  other  one !  Then  I  came  alone  and 
openly ;  now  I  returned  with  a  hostile  army  and 
must  slip  into  my  mother's  presence  past  watch 
ful  foes  like  a  thief  in  the  night.  Again  I  was 
asking  myself  how  should  I  find  her — and  that 


144  The  Legionaries 

other  one.  I  had  not  written  nor  had  they,  but 
once  or  twice  we  had  heard  indirectly  of  each 
other.  A  strangely  uncomfortable  feeling  pos 
sessed  me.  Surely,  as  I  had  told  the  General,  my 
heart  was  failing  me  in  this  unusual  situation. 


CHAPTER  X 

HER  BROTHER'S  ACCUSER 

OTHER  things  had  happened  on  the  fateful  July 
day  that  witnessed  our  crossing  of  the  Ohio.  At 
noonday  the  wide,  two-storied  house  of  Roger 
Bellray  held  the  attention  of  a  small  company  of 
mounted  men  just  then  approaching  the  foot  of 
the  lane  leading  to  the  house. 

To  the  dust-soiled  travelers  who  fixed  their  hot 
eyes  upon  it  as  its  white  surface  shimmered 
through  the  trees,  it  must  have  looked  cool  and 
inviting.  For  so  well  was  it  shaded  by  the  sur 
rounding  maples  and  elms  that  the  broiling  sun 
could  only  reach  it  momentarily  here  and  there 
as  the  leaves  shifted  in  the  light  breeze.  Arriv 
ing  at  the  entrance  to  the  lane,  a  man  riding  in 
advance  of  the  others,  and  who  appeared  to  be 
the  leader  of  the  party  which  consisted  of  about 
a  score  of  men,  checked  his  horse.  This  move 
ment  seemed  to  be  taken  by  his  companions  as  a 
signal  to  do  likewise,  and  the  cavalcade  came  to 
a  stop. 

"If  I  am  not  mistaken,  this  is  the  place,"  said 
10 — LEGIONARIES.  (  145  ) 


146  The  Legionaries 

the  leader,  directing  his  remark  to  no  particular 
person,  as  if  certain  of  his  ground.  Several  of 
the  men,  assuming  that  an  answer  was  expected, 
either  in  affirmation  or  denial,  spoke  up  at  once, 
and  assured  him  that  he  was  right. 

"He  is  the  rankest  copperhead  in  the  whole 
country,"  asserted  one,  "and  absolutely  refuses 
to  fight  for  the  government." 

"Well,  you  haven't  done  much  fighting  your 
self,  Spelker,"  said  a  strong-faced  man,  appar 
ently  of  middle  age.  "I  know  Roger  Bellray  as 
well  as  any  of  you  and  better  than  most,  and  I 
haven't  any  use  for  a  copperhead,  either,  any 
more  than  the  rest  of  you,  but  even  Beelzebub  is 
entitled  to  his  due.  Joe  Earth's  farm — you  know 
Joe  was  killed  at  Stone  River — lies  over  there  a 
matter  of  a  mile  or  so.  When  he  enlisted  more 
than  a  year  ago  he  left  nobody  to  look  after  things 
at  home  but  his  wife  and  three  small  children,  the 
oldest  a  girl  of  fourteen  There  were  plenty  of 
Union  folks  all  around  them,  but  who  was  it  that 
cut  their  wheat,  and  gathered  their  corn,  and  dug 
their  potatoes,  and  such  like,  without  letting  it 
cost  them  a  cent?  Why,  Roger  Bellray 's  hired 
hands.  And  who  sowed  their  wheat  and  planted 
their  corn  for  this  year's  crop,  and  who  cut  the 
wheat  last  week?  Why,  Roger  Bellray 's  men." 

There  was  a  touch  of  resentment  and  indigna 
tion  in  the  speaker's  tones  that  turned  all  eyes 
upon  him — except  those  of  the  leader,  who  was 


Her  Brother's  Accuser        147 

giving  no  attention  to  the  talk — and  some  of  them 
were  not  of  friendly  look.  This  was  notably  so 
with  Spelker,  who  was  quick  to  perceive  the 
covert  but  unmistakable  reflection  on  his  own 
fighting  qualities.  He  was  a  much  younger  man 
than  the  other  and,  unlike  most  of  his  compan 
ions,  did  not  have  the  appearance  of  a  man  who 
followed  rural  pursuits. 

"I  know  something  of  Roger  Bellray,  too,'.' 
he  said,  hotly,  "and  if  he  had  his  just  deserts  he 
would  be  strung  up  as  a  warning  to  others  of  his 
kind." 

"He  hasn't  interfered  with  your  business  of 
selling  undersized  mules  to  the  government,  has 
he?"  asked  the  older  man,  adding  relevantly: 
"I  should  think  a  man  in  your  business  would 
want  the  war  to  go  on  as  long  as  possible." 

"Dry  up,  men,"  the  leader  broke  in  sharply, 
with  unmilitary  phrase,  lifting  his  eyes  from  mem 
oranda  that  he  had  been  scanning,  and  noting  the 
growing  ill-humor  of  the  disputants.  "All  of  you 
but  Markle,  Breezner  and  Thompson  ride  into 
the  shade  over  there  and  rest  your  horses." 

With  the  three  men  named  he  then  turned  into 
th~  lane  and  galloped  toward  the  house,  soon 
reaching  the  gate  which  separated  the  lane  from 
the  grounds  surrounding  the  buildings.  One  .of 
the  men  opened  it  without  dismounting,  and, 
with  little  regard  for  the  graveled  path,  all  rode 
their  horses  up  to  the  broad  veranda  that  ran 


148  The  Legionaries 

along  the  front  of  the  residence  and  around  it3 
southern  exposure. 

Here  the  leader  leaped  to  the  ground  and 
started  to  mount  the  steps.  As  he  did  so  a  girl 
came  through  the  open  door.  It  was  Kate  Bell- 
ray.  She  had  been  watching  the  horsemen  for 
some  time ;  had  seen  them  stop  in  the  road  and 
point  toward  the  house,  and  had  waited  the 
coming  of  the  four  who  now  faced  her.  Her 
eyes  were  steady  and  fearless,  but  they  showed 
traces  of  anxiety  as  she  surveyed  her  unceremo 
nious  visitors. 

On  her  appearance  the  leader  stopped  upon  the 
porch  steps,  from  which  position  he  now  ad 
dressed  her,  without  taking  the  pains  to  lift  his 
hat. 

"This  is  Roger  Bellray's  place,  is  it  not?" 

"It  is,"  said  the  girl  tersely. 

"My  name  is  Bracken — Captain  Bracken," 
said  the  man,  now  removing  his  hat  as  if  in  his 
own  honor,  and  bowing  stiffly,  "and  I  desire  an 
interview  with  Mr.  Bellray." 

"I  am  sorry  that  you  must  be  disappointed, 
sir,  but  unfortunately  my  brother  is  not  at  home," 
said  Kate,  her  uneasiness  deepening. 

"Will  it  avail  me  anything  to  ask  where  he  is, 
and  when  he  is  expected  to  return?"  asked  the 
visitor  with  growing  politeness. 

"He  rode  away  this  morning  and  left  no  word 
when  he  would  come  back.  If  you  desire  to 


Her  Brother's  Accuser        149 

leave  any  message  for  him  I  will  deliver  it,"  she 
returned. 

"Thank  you,"  said  he,  "but  it  is  entirely  a 
personal  matter.  You  are  certain  are  you,  Miss 
Bellray,  that  your  brother  has  left  the  house?" 

His  words  and  manner  both  expressed  suspi 
cion  of  her  truthfulness  and  doubt  as  to  the  accu 
racy  of  the  information  she  had  given.  Raising 
her  eyes  and  looking  toward  the  highway  she 
saw  the  other  members  of  his  party  standing  by 
their  horses  under  the  trees.  She  was  filled  with 
alarm,  but  kept  her  self-possession,  and  the  soft 
lines  of  her  mouth  showed  a  trifle  more  of  firm 
ness. 

"You  are  the  first  man,  Captain  Bracken,  if 
that  be  your  name  and  your  title,  who  has  ever 
dared  to  question  my  word,"  she  said  with  dig 
nity.  "While  I  do  not  know  your  mission  or 
purpose,  you  are  at  liberty  to  enter  the  house  and 
satisfy  yourself.  My  brother  does  not  hide  from 
any  man." 

For  a  few  moments  the  visitor  was  silent,  as  if 
uncertain  about  the  way  he  should  act.  Then  he 
said: 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Miss  Bellray,  if  I  have 
unintentionally  offended  you.  I  see  clearly  that 
my  words  were  unwarranted.  And,  after  all,  the 
matter  is  of  small  consequence' ' — here  he  coughed 
a  little  in  an  affected  way  that  did  not  escape  her 
— "only  a  little  information  which  I  was  told  he 


150  The  Legionaries 

could  give  me  better  than  any  other.  We  can 
get  along,  I  suppose,  by  inquiring  elsewhere — 
possibly  at  the  next  house.  May  I  trouble  you 
to  tell  me  who  lives  there?" 

He  pointed  through  the  trees  to  a  large  gray 
house  with  tall  red  chimneys,  a  mile  away,  which, 
with  its  substantial  outbuildings,  occupied  a  slight 
elevation  in  the  midst  of  a  wide  sweep  of  fine 
grounds.  Next  to  the  Bellray  place  it  was  the 
most  conspicuous  one  in  the  neighborhood,  and 
belonged  to  my  mother. 

"That  place  belongs  to  Mrs.  Trenham,"  Kate 
said.  "I  am  ignorant  of  the  character  of  the  in 
formation  you  are  seeking,  but  perhaps  I  can  give 
it  as  well  as  she  or  my  brother. ' ' 

"Mrs.  Trenham,  did  you  say,  Miss?"  the  Cap 
tain  inquired  keenly,  apparently  heedless  of  what 
else  she  had  said.  "Possibly  she  has  a  son?" 

Kate  felt  that  she  had  inadvertently  given  tes 
timony  that  this  man  regarded  as  valuable,  but  she 
answered  calmly: 

"She  has  a  son  somewhere." 

"Who  is  not  at  home?"  said  the  inquisitor. 

"Not  only  that,  but  he  has  not  been  there  for 
many  months." 

"Oh!"  The  exclamation  showed  disappoint 
ment  of  a  hope  that  had  been  suddenly  aroused. 
Then  he  added  with  a  smile  that  to  her  quick  wits 
needed  no  interpretation:  "He  is  in  the  army, 
of  course,  fighting  for  his  country — no  doubt  a 


Her  Brother's  Accuser        151 

fine  young  man.  Thank  you  for  your  trouble, 
Miss  Bellray.  Good-day." 

He  went  quickly  down  the  steps,  climbed  into 
his  saddle  and  the  quartet  trotted  their  horses  out 
of  the  yard,  leaving  the  gate  open  as  they  went, 
and  cantered  down  the  lane.  Kate  walked  to  the 
gate  and  closed  it,  then  stood  there  until  Captain 
Bracken  and  his  companions  had  joined  the  men 
in  the  highway,  and  until  they  all  started  away 
together.  Nor  did  she  leave  her  post  until  the 
cloud  of  dust  following  the  riders  rose  far  beyond 
the  entrance  to  my  mother's  farm  and  showed 
that  her  late  questioner  had  not  stopped  there. 
Then  with  a  deep  sigh  she  went  back  to  the  ve 
randa  and  sat  down. 

"Oh,  will  it  never  end?"  she  said,  half  aloud. 
"Was  there  ever  another  situated  as  I  am?  Oh, 
Roger;  oh,  John." 

She  buried  her  face  in  her  hands,  pressing  it 
tightly,  as  if  she  would  hide  from  herself  some 
frightful  spectacle  or  a  no  less  shocking  truth. 
She  did  not  wish  to  think  just  then ;  her  thoughts 
of  late  had  kept  her  awake  at  night  and  weighed 
heavily  upon  her  spirits  by  day.  As  she  sat  there, 
feeling  that  tears  were  near,  but  resolved  that  she 
would  not  shed  them,  an  elderly  woman,  wear 
ing  a  frilled  white  cap  on  her  gray  hair,  and  a 
large  white  handkerchief,  folded  crosswise,  pinned 
loosely  about  her  throat,  came  and  stood  in  the 


152  The  Legionaries 

doorway.  Her  eyes  fell  upon  the  bent  figure  of 
the  girl. 

"What  is  the  trouble,  my  dear?"  she  asked 
anxiously,  going  forward  and  stroking  affection 
ately  the  wavy  hair  and  smoothing  it  away  from 
the  rounded  neck,  throbbing  with  the  hot  young 
blood  that  coursed  through  it. 

Reaching  up  and  taking  in  her  own  the  hand 
that  rested  so  lovingly  on  her  head,  Kate  sprang 
to  her  feet 

"Aunt  Sarah,"  she  exclaimed,  fiercely,  "they 
are  going  to  arrest  Roger." 

"They — who?  And  why  should  he  be  ar 
rested?"  asked  the  aunt,  in  trembling  alarm,  her 
face  paling. 

"Some  awful  men;  I  don't  know  who  they 
are,  only  one  of  them  said  his  name  was  Captain 
Bracken.  He  didn't  say  he  was  going  to  arrest 
him,  but  I  know  it,  I  feel  it."  She  shuddered, 
as  if  stricken  with  a  chill. 

For  a  little  time  the  elder  woman  was  dumb. 
She  had  not  seen  what  had  taken  place,  and 
could  not  understand  the  cause  of  this  startling 
outburst.  Her  lips  moved  as  if  she  were  trying 
to  frame  words  into  speech,  but  it  was  a  full 
minute  before  she  could  do  so. 

"Why  should  they  want  to  arrest  Roger, 
Kate?"  she  said  at  last,  repeating  her  former 
question.  "What  has  he  done  that  is  unlawful? 


Her  Brother's  Accuser        153 

I  think  you  have  been  frightened  into  nervous 
ness,  my  dear." 

"Oh,  don't  you  know?  Can't  you  guess?  It 
is  because  they  think  he  belongs  to  a  terrible  se 
cret  society  that  means  to  help  the  rebels,  and  is 
a  traitor  and  renegade." 

"Hush,  child,  hush,"  said  her  aunt  in  a 
hoarse,  excited  whisper,  looking  about  her  ap 
prehensively.  "It  is  impossible." 

"I  wish  it  were,  but  it  is  not;   it  is  true." 

"Girl,"  cried  the  old  lady,  moving  away  a  lit 
tle  distance,  and  speaking  in  a  terrible  voice,  not 
loud,  but  tense  with  strong  feeling,  "you  forget 
yourself  when  you  thus  accuse  your  brother ;  you 
don't  know  what  you  say." 

Kate  shook  her  head  mournfully.  "But  he 
is, ' '  she  said  firmly,  her  face  pale  with  suppressed 
emotion.  "I  have  tried  not  to  believe  it,  to  dis 
guise  it,  to  call  it  by  another  name,  but  it  is  of 
no  use.  And  yet  I  will  die  for  him,  if  by  doing 
so  I  can  save  him  from  the  shame  of  it." 

She  led  her  aunt  to  a  chair  and  forced  her  into 
it,  for  she  was  trembling  and  weak.  Then  Kate 
knelt  by  her  side  and  became  the  comforter. 
With  a  sudden  revulsion  of  feeling  she  said  pa 
thetically  : 

"Do  not  think  of  the  awful  things  I  said,  aunty. 
Let  us  keep  our  hearts  strong.  Whatever  he  is 
we  will  fight  for  him,  won't  we?"  Her  voice  was 
child-like  and  pleading. 


154  The  Legionaries 

"There,  there,  my  dear,"  returned  the  aunt, 
soothingly,  looking  down  into  the  troubled  eyes 
that  were  turned  toward  her's,  blind  with  gather 
ing  tears.  "It  can  not  be  as  bad  as  you  think. 
You  have  misunderstood  and  have  been  fright 
ened.  Roger  is  a  brave,  true  man.  He  went  to 
war  to  fight  the  Mexicans.  I  have  heard  it  told 
how  daring  he  was — always  at  the  place  where 
there  was  the  most  danger,  always  the  first  of  his 
company  in  every  charge.  You  know  he  en 
listed  in  Mississippi  while  there  visiting  your  poor 
mother's  brother,  and  there  is  a  letter  in  the  house 
written  by  his  colonel — ' ' 

"Yes,  aunty;  I  know,"  Kate  broke  out,  "but 
that  colonel  is  now  the  arch  traitor  of  them  all, 
and  that  letter  should  be  destroyed." 

"Do  not  forget  that  the  writer  was  then  fight 
ing  for  his  country,  my  dear." 

"No;  nor  that  he  is  now  trying  to  rend  it 
asunder,"  said  Kate,  with  undiminished  spirit. 

Aunt  Sarah  was  silent  She  was  as  patriotic 
as  her  niece,  but  age  had  cooled  her  blood. 
After  an  interval  she  spoke  again : 

"At  all  events,  my  child,  remember  that  Roger 
Bellray  is  the  kindest  and  gentlest  of  men.  He 
has  been  both  father  and  brother  to  you  and  as 
good  as  a  son  to  me,  a  woman  to  whom  children 
have  been  denied.  He  has  his  own  reasons  for 
anything  that  he  may  do,  and  we  must  give  him 


Her  Brother's  Accuser        155 

credit  for  honesty  and  courage,  wherever  his 
opinions  may  lead  him.  Other  people  have  their 
troubles  in  these  terrible  times  as  well  as  we. 
There  is  Mrs.  Trenham,  poor  lady,  whose  boy  is 
in  the  rebel  army." 

.A  flush  spread  over  Kate's  face  as  she  respond 
ed:  "Yes,  Aunt  Sarah,  but  he  was  born  in  the 
South  and  his  father  and  all  of  his  people  were 
southerners.  These  things  make  a  great  differ 
ence,  and  I  admire  him  because  he  has  gone  out 
to  fight,  though  he  is  wrong,  oh,  so  wrong." 

She  confessed  it  all  to  me  afterward ;  at  first  lit 
tle  by  little,  with  much  of  the  old  playful  per 
versity,  then  in  detail  and  connectedly,  withhold 
ing  nothing. 

"Oh,  my  dear,"  said  Aunt  Sarah,  placing  her 
hand  on  the  fair  head  resting  face  downward  on 
the  chair  arm,  "you  admire  him  for  reasons  be 
yond  that — reasons  that  come  from  your  heart,  if 
such  a  thing  can  be.  I  saw  how  it  was  before  he 
went  away,  and — forgive  me,  child — I  heard  you 
crying  your  poor  eyes  out  that  night  in  your 
room  when  you  knew  he  was  going.  And  when 
the  war  is  over,  my  dear — " 

"Oh,  when  the  war  is  over — " 

"And  peace  has  come  and  everything  is  for 
given  and  forgotten,  there  will  be  happiness  for 
you  and  for  us  all.  Let  us  pray  that  never  again 
in  this  land  will  a  strife  come  that  will  divide 


i  56  The  Legionaries 

families  and  bring  the  heartaches  that  this  has 
brought.  Be  patient,  my  dear,  and  strong,  and 
whatever  happens  to  your  brother  be  true  to  him 
as  he  has  been  true  to  you." 

They  rose  and  went  into  the  house. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE   SHOOTING  OF  BELLRAY 

IT  was  late  that  afternoon  when  Roger  Bellray 
came  home.  To  the  anxious  eyes  of  his  sister, 
who  had  awaited  his  coming  in  great  suspense, 
he  seemed  singularly  gloomy  and  preoccupied. 
He  greeted  her  with  accustomed  affection  and 
then  went  to  his  working  room  at  a  corner  of  the 
house,  where  he  shut  himself  in  and  remained 
until  summoned  to  the  evening  meal. 

Having  eaten  sparingly,  as  if  without  appe 
tite,  he  again  repaired  to  his  room,  and,  as  had 
lately  been  his  habit,  turned  the  bolt  behind 
him.  For  weeks  he  had  carried  the  key  to  the 
one  door  in  his  pocket,  and  had  forbidden  en 
trance  in  his  absence.  At  table  he  had  been 
mostly  silent;  and  when  to  inquiries  or  state 
ments  addressed  to  him  he  would  either  make 
no  response,  or  else  answer  with  an  irrelevance 
that  showed  overwhelming  abstraction,  attempts 
at  conversation  ceased  altogether. 

Kate  found  no  opportunity  to  speak  to  him  of 
Captain  Bracken's  visit,  although  she  was  burn 
ing  with  eagerness  to  do  so.  She  was  filled  with 
(157) 


158  The  Legionaries 

a  dread  which  approached  terror,  and  had  an 
intuitive  conviction  that  he  was  threatened  with 
some  great  danger.  Much  of  the  talk  of  the 
country  concerning  her  brother  had  reached  her. 
The  sentiment  was  divided,  some  speaking  for 
him  and  others  bitterly  denouncing  him.  Among 
the  former  class  were  those  who  shared  his  polit 
ical  opinions,  and  they  were  considerable  in  num 
ber.  Many  of  these,  however,  did  not  approve 
of  conduct  of  which  she  had  heard  only  vague 
hints,  but  which  his  enemies  summed  up  in  the 
one  word — treason ;  the  majority  desiring  peace 
for  themselves,  did  not  see  fit  to  be  too  assertive 
in  behalf  of  another. 

Their  timid,  half-hearted  apologies  were  taken 
as  proof  of  all  that  was  charged,  and  did  far  more 
harm  than  good.  In  his  own  conversations  with 
her  he  had  frankly  admitted  enough  to  con 
firm  a  great  deal  of  the  suspicion  directed  against 
him.  His  many  long  and  unexplained  ab 
sences,  meetings  behind  a  locked  door  sometimes 
with  his  friends,  often  with  strangers,  together 
with  recent  mysterious  night  rides  from  which  he 
would  not  return  oftentimes  till  daybreak,  in  her 
mind  could  not  be  reconciled  with  good  citizenship . 

What  did  they  mean  ?  These  and  other  things 
filled  her  with  foreboding  and  apprehension  and 
caused  her  to  believe  that  he  was  engaged  in 
some  secret  undertaking  or  conspiracy.  The 
latter  word  forced  itself  into  her  unwilling  mind, 


The  Shooting  of  Bellray       159 

and  called  up  visions  of  all  that  was  sinister,  hid 
eous  and  repellent. 

Was  the  storm  that  he  had  provoked  now  ready 
to  break  about  his  misguided  but  undaunted  head? 
Kate  hesitated  long  before  disturbing  him,  and 
consulted  with  her  aunt  about  the  matter.  The 
latter  agreed  with  her  as  to'the  importance  of  ac 
quainting  him  with  what  had  taken  place,  al 
though  she  still  affected,  with  poor  success,  to 
treat  the  incident  lightly.  When  Kate  had  once 
made  up  her  mind  she  acted  promptly. 

Going  to  the  door  behind  which  Roger  sat  she 
rapped  smartly  upon  its  oaken  panelling.  In  a 
moment  she  heard  the  bolt  slip  back,  the  door 
was  opened  an  inch  or  two,  and  behind  the  crack 
appeared  her  brother's  face.  There  was  some 
thing  so  furtive  and  unnatural  in  the  eyes  that 
met  hers  that  she  involuntarily  recoiled.  The 
curtains  had  been  drawn  though  it  was  yet  day 
light,  and  the  room  was  in  semi-darkness. 

"What  is  it,  Kate?"  he  asked.  His  voice  had 
in  it  a  quality  that  she  had  heard  before  on  only 
one  occasion,  and  that  was  when  he  had  started 
out  to  find  and  chastise  a  drunken  boor  who  had 
insulted  her  on  the  highway;  it  was  cold  and 
steely,  like  the  clink  of  a  sword. 

"Roger,  I  must  speak  with  you,"  she  said,  her 
face  now  close  to  his  own. 

"Put  it  off  until  to-morrow,  dear;  I  am  very 


160  The  Legionaries 

busy,"  he  returned  more  softly,  making  a  mo 
tion  as  if  to  close  the  door. 

"But  I  can  not,  Roger,"  she  persisted  appeal- 
ingly,  quickly  thrusting  her  hand  in  the  aperture 
that  he  might  not  shut  her  out.  "I  must  speak 
to  you  to-night — now;  your  own  safety  is  con 
cerned,  my  brother.  .  Even  in  an  hour  it  may  be 
too  late." 

Her  words  and  manner  plainly  made  an  im 
pression  upon  him  and  convinced  him  that  it  was 
not  an  ordinary  communication  that  she  wanted 
to  make.  He  looked  at  her  intently  for  a  moment, 
then  turned  his  head  and  seemed  to  survey  the 
room.  Facing  her  again  he  said  hastily: 

"Wait  a  moment  and  you  may  come  in  here." 

He  closed  and  fastened  the  door,  and  while  she 
stood  waiting  for  it  to  be  opened  again  she  heard 
him  moving  about,  and  sounds  that  seemed  to 
indicate  that  he  was  putting  the  contents  of  the 
room  in  order.  Presently  he  came  and  admitted 
her. 

"Now,  what  is  it  that  troubles  you?"  he  said 
quickly.  "Don't  mind  my  manner,  little  girl," 
he  added,  instantly  conscious  that  the  abrupt, 
almost  savage  inquiry  had  startled  her.  "I  have 
much  on  my  mind  to-night." 

Much  on  his  mind !  She  knew  it  without  the 
telling  and  had  come  to  add  still  more,  but  only 
to  save  him  from  a  worse  fate. 

"Roger,  you  are  in  danger  of  arrest,"  she  said. 


The  Shooting  of  Bellray       1 6 1 

"Oh,  is  that  all  you  have  to  tell  me?"  he  ex 
claimed,  with  a  dry  laugh.  "My  arrest  has  been 
many  times  threatened,  but  I  will  not  be  intimi 
dated  and  have  so  warned  them.  They  will  not 
dare  do  it." 

He  had  seated  himself  at  a  narrow  table  occu 
pying  the  center  of  the  room,  and  had  placed  a 
chair  for  her  near  his  own. 

"This  is  different,  brother;  they  have  been 
here  to-day  looking  for  you." 

"Who?"  The  word  was  uttered  contemptu 
ously. 

"Several  mounted  men  —  strangers — headed 
by  one  who  called  himself  Captain  Bracken." 

"  Captain  Bracken !"  Roger  rose  to  his  feet,  all 
indifference  gone,  and  his  eyes  blazing  through 
the  shadows  that  were  rapidly  gathering.  One 
of  the  curtains  fluttering  at  an  open  window  at 
tracted  his  attention,  and  he  walked  quickly  across 
the  room  and  pulled  down  and  fastened  the  sash, 
a  service  that  he  likewise  performed  at  the  sole 
remaining  window,  though  the  room  was  already 
hot  and  close.  Then  he  came  back  and  resumed 
his  seat. 

"How  many  men  did  he  have?"  he  asked. 

All  traces  of  his  sudden  excitement  had  gone 

save  the  fire  that  smouldered  in  his  eyes,  and  the 

question  was  asked  in  a  matter  of  fact  way,  as  if 

he   took   little    interest   in    the    occurrence   but 

ii — LEGIONARIES. 


1 62  The  Legionaries 

merely  desired  to  gratify  an  idle  curiosity.  Kate 
was  not  deceived,  however;  she  knew  that  he 
regarded  the  information  as  of  vital  importance. 

"Three  were  with  him  at  the  house  and  I 
counted  fifteen  more  in  the  road.  The  three 
looked  as  if  they  might  be  military  men  of  some 
sort,  but  most  of  the  others,  I  think,  were  home- 
guards;  some  of  them  appeared  to  be  farmers. 
I  thought  I  recognized  the  government  horse- 
buyer,  Spelker. 

"Kate,  you  are  right,  I  am  in  danger,"  Roger 
said  gently,  but  with  a  certain  tenseness  that 
deepened  her  alarm.  "If  this  Bracken  contem 
plates  my  arrest — as  he  no  doubt  does — he  will 
leave  no  stone  unturned  to  accomplish  it.  He 
is  a  persistent  and  implacable  man-hunter  who 
takes  his  orders  and  pursues  them  unremittingly 
and  to  the  letter.  I  find  no  fault  with  him  for 
that;  he  is  only  doing  his  duty.  My  quarrel  is 
with  those  who  have  set  the  hounds  on  my  track, 
and  I  shall  not  give  them  the  satisfaction  they 
seek  if  I  can  help  it.  Because  my  opinions  have 
differed  from  theirs  they  have  annoyed  and 
threatened  me,  and  now,  it  seems,  have  deter 
mined  to  run  me  down.  Military  law  has  taken 
the  place  of  the  civil  law,  and  trials  by  court- 
martial  have  been  substituted  for  trials  by  jury 
even  in  this  state,  where  the  courts  are  open  and 
the  civil  authorities  capable  of  fulfilling  their 
functions.  If  I  am  taken  by  the  minions  of  the 


The  Shooting  of  Bellray       1 63 

provost  I  have  no  assurance  of  a  fair  hearing,  nor 
even  of  a  trial  itself.  Constitutional  government 
in  this  country  is  at  an  end  and  partisan  hate  and 
drum-head  injustice  are  running  riot  to  the  dis 
traction  of  the  people." 

He  spoke  at  first  with  calmness  and  self-re 
straint,  but  as  he  proceeded  his  sister  perceived 
a  growing  rancor.  She  had  heard  him  talk  some 
what  in  this  strain  before,  but  not  in  the  same  man 
ner.  Every  word  dropped  from  his  lips  white- 
hot,  like  sparks  from  the  anvil  under  the  hammer 
of  the  smith,  and  she  trembled  as  she  thought  of 
what  might  happen  if  those  whom  he  considered 
his  enemies  should  now  come  suddenly  upon  him. 
He  had  indulged  her  antagonistic  views  as  child 
ish  and  harmless,  while  she,  in  her  patriotic  in 
nocence,  had  considered  him  affected  by  a  mania 
peculiar  to  troublous  times  and  intensified  by  a 
narrow  intolerance  on  the  part  of  some  of  his 
neighbors.  But  there  was  something  so  deadly 
in  his  manner  now  that  she  was  dumb. 

"These  friends  of  yours,  my  sister,"  he  contin 
ued,  not  unkindly  yet  with  a  faint  touch  of  irony, 
"purpose  to  ruin  me  and  possibly  to  have  my  life. 
I  do  not  intend  to  allow  the  one  nor  to  yield  the 
other.  Listen:  Within  two  hours  I  could  have 
enough  men  here  to  rid  the  country  of  Captain 
Bracken  and  his  force ;  within  six  hours  I  could 
have  an  army.  That  sounds  like  bragging,  you 
think,  but  it  is  not  so.  General  Morgan  crossed 


164  The  Legionaries 

the  river  to-day  at  Brandenburg  with  three  thou 
sand  cavalry." 

It  was  so  dark  in  the  room  that  he  could  not 
see  how  this  statement  affected  Kate,  but  she  felt 
her  face  grow  cold  as  the  blood  left  it,  then  hot 
and  flushed  as  it  came  back  again — partly,  as 
she  admitted  in  recounting  these  facts,  because  a 
certain  captain  of  horse,  if  alive,  was  with  Gen 
eral  Morgan,  but  more  on  account  of  the  impu 
dence  of  the  fearless  raider  himself.  She  had 
heard  much  of  his  remarkable  exploits,  but  did 
not  believe  that  he  would  dare  attempt  to  ride  the 
highways  of  the  North  as  he  had  those  of  the 
South,  clanking  defiance  to  his  foes. 

Roger  without  pausing  went  on:  "I  knew 
this  rebel  chieftain  in  Mexico,  as  I  have  told  you. 
We  were  in  the  hospital  together.  If  I  should  say 
the  word  he  would  make  quick  work  of  my  ene 
mies.  He  would  ride  them  down  as  grass  under 
his  horse's  feet." 

"But  you  will  not  say  it,  will  you,  Roger? 
You  will  find  some  other  way."  Her  voice  had 
come  to  her  again,  and  once  started  she  continued 
vehemently:  "This  dreadful  man  should  be 
driven  back  into  the  river  and  John  Trenham  with 
him." 

"They  are  hard  men  to  drive;  they  have  been 
in  the  habit  of  driving  others.  As  to  asking  help 
from  General  Morgan,  I  shall  not  do  so  if  I  can 
avoid  it.  Only  in  the  last  extremity  could  I 


The  Shooting  of  Bellray       165 

think  of  so  wild  a  thing.  I  am  sorry  he  has  come 
here  and  hope  he  will  speedily  depart,  for  his 
coming  only  intensifies  local  prejudice  and  adds 
to  the  difficulties  of  men  like  myself." 

There  was  a  ring  of  genuine  regret  in  his  tones, 
and  something  else  that  she  could  not  define  but 
that  made  her  heart  ache.  He  arose  and  walked 
up  and  down  the  floor,  his  head  bent  forward, 
his  hands  opening  and  closing  nervously.  Pres 
ently  he  resumed  his  seat. 

"Kate,"  he  said,  "this  is  my  house  and  I  have 
a  right  to  stay  here  and  a  right  to  defend  it.  In 
the  eyes  of  the  law  I  swear  that  I  have  committed 
no  crime,  but  there  is  no  longer  any  law.  To 
disagree  with  the  opinions  held  by  the  majority 
has  now  become  the  greatest  offense,  and  no  pun 
ishment,  however  atrocious  or  malignant,  is  too 
severe  to  be  meted  out  to  the  culprit.  But  I 
shall  not  run  or  hide;  instead,  I  will  stay  here 
and  defy  them  all,  and  fight  them  if  they  push 
me  to  it — yes,  fight  them,  by  God!"  He  lifted 
his  clenched  hand  high  above  his  head  in  a  gest 
ure  of  profound  anger  and  determination. 

"Roger,  think  of  what  you  say  and  of  what 
you  would  do— the  consequences,  the  ruin  of  it. 
Think  of  yourself  and — me." 

"You?"  He  paused  and  his  arm  fell  nerve 
less  on  the  table.  "Heaven  forgive  me,  child, 
for  I  had  only  myself  in  mind.  You — our  dead 
mother's  last  born." 


1 66  The  Legionaries 

He  uttered  the  final  words  slowly,  huskily,  and 
there  was  something  strangely  like  a  half-sup 
pressed  sob  following  them. 

"No,  no;  don't  think  of  me,"  she  cried, 
brokenly,  deeply  affected  by  his  emotion.  "I  was 
selfish  to  say  it.  You  must  act  as  you  believe 
right ;  only  avoid  a  conflict,  for  the  odds  against 
you  are  so  many." 

"I  don't  care  for  the  odds,  and  would  not  if 
they  were  still  greater,"  he  said,  again  getting 
up.  Taking  her  hands  in  his  own  he  raised  her 
to  her  feet.  "What  I  see  now,  is,  that  if  the 
calamity  of  which  I  spoke  should  come,  you 
would  suffer  more  than  I.  There  will  be  a  day 
of  reckoning,  but  it  need  not  be  this  day  or  to 
morrow.  For  your  sake — for  the  sake  of  your 
peace  of  mind  and  happiness — I  am  going  to  do 
a  thing  that  I  would  do  for  no  one  else  on  earth. 
I  will  leave  home  for  a  time  and  possibly  the 
storm  will  pass  over.  If  I  stay  here  I  must 
either  submit  to  be  deprived  of  my  liberty  and 
subjected  to  indignity  and  insult,  or  make  of  this 
house  a  fortress  and  maintain  it  by  force  of  arms. 
This  I  had  thought  of  doing,  had  even  planned  to 
do  as  against  your  guerrilla  homeguards,  but  I 
have  no  purpose  to  array  myself  against  the 
power  of  the  United  States  government,  and  it  is 
that  power  which  this  Bracken  represents.  They 
call  me  a  traitor.  Pah!" 

He  released  her  hands  and  going  to  the  end  of 


The  Shooting  of  Bellray       167 

the  room  where  there  was  a  mantel  above  a  wide 
fire-place  struck  a  match  and  lighted  a  lamp. 
Then,  stooping,  he  threw  aside  a  corner  of  the 
heavy  drugget  that  covered  the  floor  and  in  a 
moment  had  made  a  narrow  opening  through  the 
planking.  She  watched  him  in  amazement. 

"Come  here,  Kate,"  he  called,  and  she  went 
to  his  side.  "Do  you  think  I  am  prepared  to 
make  a  defense?"  he  asked,  holding  the  lamp  so 
that  its  light  shone  into  the  cavity. 

The  opening  into  which  she  looked  with  start 
led  eyes — the  presence  of  which  she  had  not  before 
even  suspected — was  of  unknown  dimensions,  but 
what  she  could  see  of  it  was  heaped  with  rifles 
and  revolvers.  One  glance  at  the  deadly  store, 
then  she  drew  back,  her  face  pale  and  quivering. 
Roger,  quickly  making  things  as  they  were, 
placed  the  lamp  upon  the  mantel  and  turned 
toward  his  sister,  who  had  not  for  a  second  re 
moved  her  gaze  from  his  face  after  lifting  it  from 
the  hurried  inspection  of  the  concealed  vault. 

"I  can  trust  you,  Kate,"  he  said,  not  attempt 
ing  to  avoid  her  eyes,  in  which  he  read  pity  as 
well  as  condemnation.  "I  had  not  intended  to 
tell  you  about  this,  but  it  is  best  that  you  should 
know.  As  for  me,  it  will  be  the  worse  if  these 
things  are  discovered  here,  for  they  will  be  evi 
dence  against  me.  If  the  house  is  searched  and 
they  are  found,  tell  the  truth;  do  not  try  to 
shield  me.  There  is  no  time  for  me  to  have  them 


1 68  The  Legionaries 

removed  now,  but  I  will  speak  to  Sutton  about 
it,  and  he  can  dispose  of  them  if  they  give  him 
time  enough." 

Sutton  was  his  farm  manager,  and  while  he 
was  quiet  and  close  of  mouth,  Kate  suspected 
that  his  opinions  were  the  same  as  her  brother's, 
for  he  was  in  the  latter 's  confidence  and  was  de 
voted  to  him. 

"Oh,  Roger,  I  did  not  guess  that  it  had  come 
to  this,"  she  said,  her  voice  strained  and  husky, 
as  if  she  were  on  the  point  of  giving  way  to  tears. 

The  reproach  that  her  words  implied  seemed  to 
touch  him  keenly.  A  momentary  resentment 
flashed  across  his  face  but  instantly  died  out,  and 
the  only  answer  he  made  was  to  say  gently: 

"You  do  not  know  all,  little  girl.  Someday 
I  may  tell  you  what  I  have  been  compelled  to 
submit  to  and  why  these  arms  are  here.  Now 
don't  say  anything  more;  you  can  not  under 
stand,  but  until  you  do,  keep  your  heart  open  to 
me,  for  you  are  all  I  have.  Send  Sutton  to  me 
here  —  he  must  be  about  the  house  —  and  tell 
Williams  to  saddle  my  horse  at  once  and  take 
him  to  the  back  lane  and  wait  for  me.  Good 
bye,  child.  Do  not  fret  about  me.  Everything 
is  in  order  except  that" — pointing  at  the  floor — 
"for  I  have  foreseen  some  such  emergency  as  this 
and  planned  against  it.  There — good-bye;  now 
go  to  Sutton  and  Williams." 

While  he  was  speaking  he  was  walking  toward 


The  Shooting  of  Bellray       1 69 

the  door,  one  arm  around  her  shoulders,  and 
when  he  reached  it  he  kissed  her  affectionately 
and  let  her  pass  out. 

As  soon  as  she  was  out  of  the  room  Kate  has 
tened  to  execute  her  brother's  commands,  for  any 
further  delay  might  endanger  his  safety.  Having 
done  this  she  went  out  upon  the  porch  and  sat 
down,  a  self-appointed  sentinel. 

The  sun  had  long  since  vanished  behind  the 
low  western  hills,  above  which  hung  the  moon  in 
its  first  quarter,  and  twilight  was  deepening  into 
darkness.  The  air  was  sweet  and  balmy  and  the 
peacefulness  of  earth  and  sky  made  her  troubles 
seem  all  the  greater  by  contrast.  The  fire-flies 
flashed  their  yellow  lights  here  and  there  through 
the  shrubbery,  and  far  up  in  the  sky,  sounded  the 
cry  of  the  whippoorwill  as  it  circled  through  the 
dusk.  From  distant  pasture  fields  came  the  faint, 
occasional  tinkle  of  sheep  bells  and  the  lowing  of 
cattle.  A  boy  was  whistling  vigorously  in  the 
barn-lot,  his  evening  tasks  accomplished,  and  she 
noticed  that  the  tune  which  had  struck  his  fancy 
was  that  of  a  new  patriotic  song. 

But  presently  there  came  to  her  ears  through 
the  night  another  sound,  dull,  thumping  and  om 
inous.  It  came  from  somewhere  far  down  the 
highway,  and  was  made  by  the  galloping  feet  of 
many  horses.  There  was  no  mistaking  that  sound 
— Captain  Bracken  was  coming  back,  as  she  had 
known  he  would.  What  troubled  her  was  that 


170  The  Legionaries 

the  noise  seemed  to  be  divided  and  to  come 
from  different  places  in  the  road,  as  if  the  ap 
proaching  horsemen  were  separated.  Almost  as 
soon  as  she  realized  this  fact  she  dimly  saw  sev 
eral  rapidly-moving  shadows  at  the  mouth  of  the 
lane,  reaching  which  they  appeared  to  change 
form  and  to  become  stationary.  But  it  was  not 
so;  they  were  turning  into  the  lane  and  were 
coming  toward  her. 

All  doubt  removed,  she  ran  into  the  house  and 
to  her  brother's  door  upon  which  she  beat  fran 
tically  with  her  hands,  calling  out  that  he  should 
make  haste.  But  there  was  no  answer  to  her 
blows  or  cries.  She  grasped  the  knob  and  shook 
it  violently.  To  her  great  astonishment  the  door 
opened  and  she  fell  upon  the  threshold.  Getting 
to  her  feet,  she  entered  the  room,  only  to  find  it 
empty  and  dark.  Roger  had  gone. 

A  great  load  seemed  to  be  lifted  from  her.  In 
stantly  she  became  calm  and  prepared  herself  to 
meet  the  unwelcome  visitors,  who  could  now  be 
heard  at  the  gate.  By  the  time  she  had  reached 
the  hall  heavy  steps  sounded  on  the  porch,  then 
loud  knocking  on  the  casing  of  the  open  door. 
A  servant  entered  the  hall  in  response  to  the 
knocking,  but  Kate  walked  before  her  toward  the 
man  who  was  standing  impatiently  just  within 
the  entrance;  it  was  Captain  Bracken.  He 
greeted  her  civilly  and  inquired  abruptly  for  her 
brother. 


The  Shooting  of  Bellray       171 

"Mr.  Bellray  is  not  at  home,"  she  answered, 
quietly. 

"Look  here,  my  young  lady,"  said  the  officer 
incisively,  "you  must  tell  me  where  he  is  or  I 
shall  be  obliged  to  take  it  upon  myself  to  find 
out." 

"What  do  you  want  with  him?"  she  asked, 
with  the  wish  to  gain  time,  for  she  felt  that  every 
minute  might  be  valuable  to  Roger. 

"I  want  nothing  with  him;  I  want  him,"  he 
said  with  a  grim  but  poor  attempt  at  humor.  "He 
will  understand  my  business  quick  enough  if  he  is 
as  smart  as  they  say  he  is,  and,  mind  you,  I  have 
no  time  to  waste.  One  of  my  men  that  I  left  in 
the  neighborhood  for  that  purpose  saw  him  re 
turn  home  this  afternoon,  and  knows  that  he  had 
not  left  this  house  up  to  thirty  minutes  ago. 
Excuse  me,  Miss  Bellray,  but  he  can  not  escape; 
my  men  are  everywhere  about  the  place,  and  ev 
ery  road,  lane  and  by-way  is  watched." 

Without  further  parley  he  called  from  the  door 
and  three  men  came  to  him — the  same  who  had 
been  with  him  on  his  previous  appearance. 

"Search  the  house,  and  be  quick  about  it,"  he 
commanded,  and  they  scattered  in  obedience. 

"Pardon  the  liberty  I  am  taking,  Miss  Bellray. 
My  duty  requires  of  me  many  unpleasant  serv 
ices,"  the  captain  explained,  apologetically. 

Kate,  who  had  seated  herself,  made  no  re 
sponse,  but  listened  composedly  to  the  noise  made 


172  The  Legionaries 

by  the  searchers,  as  they,  having  possessed  them 
selves  with  lights,  went  through  the  house  from 
room  to  room.  By  the  time  they  had  returned 
to  their  leader  to  report  their  search  fruitless,  the 
hall  was  filled  with  the  members  of  the  household, 
gaping  and  staring,  and  in  a  high  state  of  excite 
ment  and  alarm,  which  the  calm  face  of  the 
young  mistress  tended  greatly  to  allay. 

"You  see,  sir,"  she  said  satirically,  address 
ing  the  officer,  "that  you  would  have  saved  your 
self  much  unnecessary  trouble  if  you  had  been  dis 
posed  to  believe  me.  But  I  felt  assured  that  you 
would  not,  though  you  merely  desired  a  little  in 
formation  from  my  brother  which  you  believed 
he  could  give  better  than  any  other." 

While  she  spoke  lightly  she  was  apprehensive 
over  Captain  Bracken's  statement  that  all  the 
ways  leading  from  the  place  were  watched,  and 
feared  that  Roger's  escape  was  impossible.  The 
captain,  on  his  part,  was  in  very  bad  humor  over 
his  defeat,  and  with  mutterings  of  anger,  in  which 
could  be  heard  half-suppressed  oaths,  hurriedly 
left  the  house  with  his  men,  Kate  following  as  far 
as  the  porch. 

They  were  in  the  act  of  mounting  their  horses 
when  the  dull  sound  of  shots,  fired  irregularly 
and  seemingly  far  away,  disturbed  the  quiet  of  the 
night.  Jumping  into  their  saddles,  with  an  ex 
clamation  that  froze  the  blood  in  the  veins  of 
Kate  and  others  of  the  household  who  had  trooped 


The  Shooting  of  Bellray       1 73 

out  upon  the  porch  after  her  in  their  anxiety,  the 
men  dashed  down  the  lane  as  if  eager  to  have  a 
hand  in  the  hunt. 

"They  are  after  him!"  That  was  what  they 
had  said. 

Checking  all  attempts  at  talking,  Kate,  every 
sense  strained  and  acute,  ran  down  to  the  gate  at 
the  end  of  the  graveled  path  and  stood  there 
filled  with  terror.  After  the  first  shots  the  silence 
had  been  broken  for  a  time  only  by  the  rapid 
thumping  of  the  fleeing  horses'  feet  on  the  hard 
ground.  But  now  came  another  shot,  and  another, 
and  yet  a  third  much  clearer  than  the  others  had 
been,  showing  that  those  who  had  fired  them  were 
moving  toward  the  house.  And  this  time,  too, 
they  sounded  across  the  fields  and  were  accom 
panied  by  the  hoarse  cries  of  men.  Not  a  moan 
escaped  the  lips  of  the  girl,  but  her  teeth  were 
tightly  clenched  and  her  hands  gripped  each  other 
wildly  in  the  agony  of  her  emotion. 

The  noises  came  nearer — the  shouting,  the  curs 
ing,  the  intermittent  shooting;  then  the  patter  of 
running  feet  coming  from  the  direction  of  the 
orchard  to  her  left.  Suddenly  a  man  leaped  the 
fence  separating  the  orchard  from  the  yard  and 
came  running  toward  the  house,  bareheaded,  his 
clothes  torn  and  disarranged  and  with  a  smoking 
revolver  in  his  hand;  it  was  Roger.  He  had 
nearly  reached  the  place  where  she  stood,  when 
another  shot  rang  out  sharply  and  he  pitched 


174  The  Legionaries 

wildly  forward  and  fell  face  downward  almost  at 
her  feet. 

Kate  ran  forward  and  endeavored  to  help  him 
to  rise,  but  no  answering  movement  rewarded  her 
effort,  and  as  she  released  the  motionless  form  her 
hands  were  wet  with  his  life's  blood.  Just  then 
the  pursuers  dashed  into  the  yard,  breathless  and 
panting,  and  foremost  among  them  was  Spelker, 
the  horse-buyer.  He  stooped  and  turned  the 
body  over  roughly,  as  if  it  were  the  carcass  of  a 
wild  beast. 

"A  mighty  good  riddance,"  exclaimed  he, 
with  heartless  brutality,  "and  I  think  I  am  en 
titled  to  the  credit  for  it.  " 

"Did  you  kill  my  brother?"  cried  Kate,  break 
ing  away  from  her  aunt  and  the  others  who  had 
come  about  her,  and  moving  quickly  toward  the 
speaker.  Her  eyes  blazed  through  the  deathly 
pallor  of  her  face,  and  she  looked  the  very  em 
bodiment  of  vengeance. 

Spelker  drew  back,  but  assumed  a  defiant  air : 
"I  wasn't  talking  to  you,  Miss,  but  since  you 
ask  the  question  I'll  say  I  think  I  did.  We  had 
orders  to  ketch  him." 

"It  is  murder — murder,  and  you  will  pay  for 
his  life;  remember  it,  you  worse  than  monster!*' 
she  cried,  in  a  voice  that  made  his  soul  shrink. 

As  she  was  led  away  from  the  terrible  scene, 
Captain  Bracken  pushed  his  way  into  the  crowd, 
throwing  men  aside,  right  and  left.  When  he 


The  Shooting  of  Bcllray       1 75 

saw  what  had  been  done  he  was  furious,  de 
manded  to  know  who  had  committed  the  deed, 
and  swore  that  his  orders  had  been  exceeded. 
Spelker  slunk  into  the  background,  and  when 
the  men  went  away  it  was  remarked  that  he  was 
shunned  by  many  of  his  companions  and  walked 
by  himself  to  the  place  where  those  who  were 
dismounted  had  left  their  horses.  One  man  lin 
gered  a  little  behind,  and  stooping  quickly  took 
one  of  the  lifeless  hands  reverently  in  his,  pressed 
it  tenderly,  and  then  hastened  on  after  the  oth 
ers.  It  was  the  elderly  man  who  had  spoken  in 
Roger's  favor  at  the  entrance  to  the  lane.  Even 
among  his  enemies  he  had  friends. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  GARB  OF  A  REBEL 

THE  news  that  Roger  Bellray,  "the  butternut," 
had  been  shot  traveled  slowly  that  night  in  the 
district  where  the  violence  had  been  committed. 
Many  who  heard  the  firing  knew  that  Morgan's 
raiders  had  come  into  the  county  that  day  and 
attributed  it  to  marauding  bands  from  his  force 
seeking  to  terrorize  the  inhabitants.  Thus  believ 
ing,  and  considering  that  they  had  no  business 
abroad  while  these  reckless  men  were  about,  they 
took  counsel  of  their  fears  and  shut  themselves  up 
in  their  homes,  there  to  stay  until  daylight,  but 
not  to  sleep. 

My  mother,  however,  not  far  from  whose  house 
the  first  shots  had  been  fired,  knew  better.  The 
Bellray  land  extended  to  within  a  few  hundred 
yards  of  her  residence,  and  what  was  known  as 
the  back  lane  furnished  a  more  private  and  con 
venient  communication  between  the  two  places 
than  the  public  road. 

One  of  her  servants,  a  negro,  returning  that 
evening  from  Corydon  at  nightfall,  had  been  over 
taken  by  a  party  of  mounted  men  and  questioned 
(176) 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         177 

by  one  as  to  the  existence  of  any  private  means 
of  access  to  the  Bellray  premises.  Before  he  could 
answer,  another  of  the  party,  in  whom  he  recog 
nized  a  horse-buyer  who  had  tried  in  vain  to 
persuade  my  mother  to  part  with  some  of  her 
stock,  spoke  up  and  said  that  he  knew  of  the 
back  lane,  adding  that  it  ought  to  be  watched  as 
"he"  would  most  likely  try  to  escape  by  it. 

The  negro  remembered  this  man  particularly 
because  of  his  former  insolent  bearing.  He  had 
gone  so  far  as  to  accuse  my  mother  of  saving  her 
animals  for  the  use  of  the  rebels  when  they  should 
come,  and  had  otherwise  caused  her  to  be  sub 
jected  to  petty  annoyances.  The  servant,  there 
fore,  hastened  to  tell  her  of  these  mysterious 
things,  and  they  certainly  lost  nothing  of  their 
strangeness  in  the  recital. 

From  this  my  mother  surmised  that  something 
seriously  affecting  her  neighbor  was  afoot.  Not 
long  after,  she  heard  the  firing  and  shouting, 
which  noises  rapidly  receded  toward  Bellray 's. 
After  an  interval  came  the  final  shot,  smothered 
by  the  distance,  and  then  silence,  which  was 
broken  later  by  the  clatter  of  many  hoofs  gallop 
ing  in  the  direction  of  the  town.  These  unex 
plained  and  extraordinary  things  were  so  dis 
quieting  that  she  became  highly  nervous  and 
agitated,  starting  at  harmless  noises  and  half  fear 
ing  an  attack  upon  her  own  home. 
12 — LEGIONARIES. 


178  The  Legionaries 

So  great  had  been  the  effect  of  these  neighbor 
hood  events  upon  the  servant  that  the  wonderful 
and  terrifying  news  of  the  rebel  invasion,  which 
was  being  talked  of  in  the  town  to  the  exclusion 
of  every  other  topic,  and  which  had  brought  out 
and  armed  the  inhabitants  for  resistance,  was  for 
the  time  driven  from  his  mind,  and  was  not  com 
municated  by  him  to  my  mother  along  with  the 
fresher  happening.  When  the  information  did 
reach  her  it  came  from  the  kitchen,  where  the 
black  bearer  of  ill  tidings  had  told  it  to  Martha, 
the  cook,  under  the  stimulating  effects  of  his  be 
lated  supper,  and  she  related  it  to  the  mistress  of 
the  establishment. 

The  impression  it  made  upon  her  was  pro 
found  and  for  a  while  she  was  nearly  overwhelmed 
by  this  additional  shock.  For  the  news  brought 
with  it  both  hope  and  dread — hope  that  she 
might  be  permitted  to  see  her  son,  and  dread 
of  the  consequences  of  the  bold  step  that  my 
commander  had  taken.  But  in  the  end  the  hope 
overbore  all  other  considerations,  and  by  it  her 
spirits  were  rallied.  She  believed  that  I  would 
come  to  her  if  it  were  possible — it  might  be  that 
night — and  so  resolved  to  remain  awake  and  wait. 

For  a  time  she  made  an  effort  to  read,  but 
could  not;  she  tried  to  engage  her  mind  at  some 
light  sewing  with  which  she  was  wont  to  beguile 
herself,  but  threw  it  aside.  Again  and  again  she 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel          1 79 

went  to  her  open  window,  looked  out  into  the 
night  and  listened. 

It  was  at  the  window,  about  an  hour  before 
midnight,  that  I  saw  her.  The  light  in  her  room 
threw  her  figure  into  bold  relief.  I  had  already 
dismounted  and  tied  my  horse  and  was  at  the 
gate,  where  I  paused  a  moment  to  make  sure  of 
my  surroundings.  Then  I  hurried  toward  the 
house  and  placed  myself  beneath  her  window. 

"Mother,"  said  I.  She  gasped  with  joy  and 
leaned  out. 

"Is  it  you,  my  boy?"  she  called  down  to  me, 
tremulously. 

"Yes,  mother;  it  is  John." 

In  a  moment,  almost,  she  was  downstairs  at 
the  door,  and  had  opened  it  and  thrown  her 
self  into  my  arms.  And  when  she  had  got  me 
into  the  house  she  sat  by  my  chair,  stroking  my 
brown  cheeks  and  smoothing  my  hair  as  in  the 
days  of  my  childhood.  A  son  returning  to  his 
mother  from  the  wars  is  like  one  coming  back 
from  the  grave,  and  for  a  time  she  can  do  no 
more  than  look  at  him  and  hear  his  voice  and 
lavish  upon  him  those  little  loving  attentions 
which  only  a  mother  can  bestow. 

So  it  was  now;  but  presently  she  bethought 
herself  and  ordered  that  supper  be  prepared  for 
me.  When  it  was  ready  and  I  was  at  the  table  I 
asked  her  about  the  Bellrays.  In  the  joy  of  hav 
ing  me  with  her  again  she  had  forgotten  all  else, 


180  The  Legionaries 

but  my  question  brought  forth  a  recital  of  the 
startling  happenings  of  the  early  evening.  She 
told  me,  also,  of  other  things  concerning  these 
friends. 

"I  must  know  what  that  shooting  means, 
mother,"  I  said,  greatly  troubled  and  guessing 
the  truth.  "I  will  ride  over  there  at  once." 

Without  doing  that  much  I  could  not  have  re 
turned  to  camp  satisfied  While  finishing  the 
meal,  which  I  did  hastily  after  that,  I  asked  many 
questions  and  learned  that  Roger  Bellray  was  in 
very  bad  repute  with  those  people  of  the  county 
who  favored  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war 
against  the  seceding  states,  and  who  held  that  any 
belief  which  did  not  rise  to  the  full  height  of  their 
own  was  treasonable. 

He  was  also  suspected — not  without  reason,  as 
I  knew — of  holding  relations  of  some  sort  with 
friends  of  the  Confederacy,  and  of  giving  infor 
mation  and  rendering  other  assistance  to  the  gov 
ernment  of  the  Secessionists.  As  to  the  latter 
suspicion,  I  did  not  believe  it  justified.  But 
Bellray  was  a  daring  man  of  deep  feeling  and 
many  extreme  views,  and  capable  of  doing  or  un 
dertaking  to  do  the  thing  that  was  most  vio 
lently  opposed  by  others,  even  though  it  did  not 
commend  itself  wholly  to  his  judgment. 

I  did  not  know,  therefore,  how  far  local  antag 
onism  and  proscription  had  driven  him,  nor  to 
what  perverse  conduct  he  had  been  provoked. 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         181 

But  this  I  did  know,  then  and  afterward,  that  he 
refused  to  open  his  mind  in  recognition  of  the 
spirit  of  the  times.  He  believed  that  he  might 
still  assert  his  independence  as  a  man,  and  that 
the  right  to  think  and  talk  as  he  pleased  should 
not  be  denied  to  him  any  more  than  to  those 
whose  views  upon  public  questions  differed  from 
his  own.  His  trouble  lay  in  failing  to  realize 
that  traits  of  character  which  may  be  given  full 
sway  with  impunity  in  time  of  peace  are,  in  time 
of  civil  war,  dangerous  possessions  in  a  locality 
where  the  people  maintain  a  conflicting  and  un 
friendly  sentiment. 

To  my  great  relief  I  found  that  my  mother  had 
lived  quietly  and  without  notable  disturbance. 
True,  she  felt  that  she  had  been  socially  isolated 
and  discountenanced  since  it  became  known  that 
I  had  "joined  the  rebels."  But  it  had  also  come 
to  her  in  a  roundabout  way  that  the  people  had 
not  expected  me  to  do  anything  else,  considering 
my  southern  birth  and  connection. 

She  had  remained  mostly  at  home,  seeing  few 
visitors,  and  had  maintained  intimate  relations 
with  none  excepting  the  Bellray  household,  which 
was,  as  everybody  knew,  divided  in  opinion  upon 
the  questions  of  the  day,  though  still  united  in 
the  love  and  confidence  that  had  distinguished 
the  family  life.  How  it  would  be  with  her  from 
this  time  on  if  it  became  generally  known  that  I 
was  an  officer  under  the  great  raider  I  hardly 


1 82  The  Legionaries 

dared  to  think.  And  yet  I  felt  that  she  would 
remain  free  from  serious  annoyance  unless,  by 
some  unlucky  deed,  the  populace  should  be 
aroused  to  a  resentment  so  violent  that  it  would 
injure  the  innocent  if  the  guilty  were  not  at 
hand. 

It  was  long  past  midnight  when  I  rode  away 
from  my  mother's  gate.  A  few  minutes  brought 
me  to  the  familiar  path  called  the  back  lane, 
which  ran  between  the  fields  to  the  Bellray  house. 
Save  the  steady  thumping  of  my  horse's  feet  on 
the  dry  turf  few  sounds  broke  the  stillness  of  the 
night.  The  rasping  song  of  the  katydid,  and  here 
and  there  the  heavy  breathing  of  a  cow  by  the 
roadside,  the  distant  bark  of  a  dog,  the  fluttering 
of  a  bird  awakened  from  its  nap  in  the  hedge — 
these  I  heard,  and  nothing  besides. 

Many  times  before  I  had  ridden  through  these 
fields,  so  fragrant  this  night  with  the  breath  of 
clover,  but  how  different  the  circumstances,  how 
widely  different  my  thoughts !  How  was  it  now 
with  Roger  Bellray?  Why  were  armed  men  seek 
ing  an  obscure  way  to  his  house?  And  what  was 
the  cause  and  the  result  of  the  commotion  of 
which  my  mother  had  told? 

Quickening  my  speed,  I  soon  reached  the 
well-remembered  bars  separating  the  lane  from  the 
driveway  that  ran  from  there  along  the  edge  of 
the  peach  orchard  and  toward  the  side  of  the  house 
where  there  was  a  small  garden  gate ;  this  opened 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         1 83 

into  a  shaded  walk  winding  to  the  front  of  the 
house.  Securing  my  horse  at  the  bars  I  hurried 
forward.  It  seemed  years  instead  of  months  since 
I  had  been  there,  so  full  of  events  had  my  recent 
life  been  crowded. 

When  the  house  came  into  view  amidst  the  slum 
bering  trees  I  saw  that  a  bright  light  was  burning 
in  the  upper  room  that  Roger  had  formerly  occu 
pied  ;  lights  glowing  also  from  the  living  rooms 
showed  that  the  household  was  astir.  I  went 
through  the  little  gateway,  which  I  found  open, 
and  moved  up  the  walk  through  the  deep 
shadows. 

The  evidences  of  wakefulness  at  this  hour  did 
not  in  themselves  alarm  me,  for  there  would  be 
little  sleep  that  night  wherever  the  news  of  the 
coming  of  the  raiders  penetrated,  so  wild  and  in 
accurate  were  the  opinions  held  concerning  my 
gallant  General  and  his  men.  But  these  signs  of 
unrest  added  to  the  other  things  of  which  I  had 
heard  intensified  the  fear  that  already  oppressed 
me. 

I  had  just  reached  the  black  shade  of  a  gigantic 
syringa  standing  a  little  way  from  the  house  when 
two  persons,  a  man  and  a  woman,  came  through 
the  open  door  and  walked  to  the  edge  of  the 
porch,  where  they  stood  in  the  flood  of  light 
pouring  through  the  doorway  and  windows. 
Within  the  hall  was  Mrs.  Willing,  who  stood  ir- 


184  The  Legionaries 

resolute  for  a  moment  and  then  turned  and  as 
cended  the  stairs. 

The  man  was  Dallas  Vawter,  the  woman, 
Kate  Bellray.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  I  re 
strained  an  ejaculation  of  angry  surprise.  Had 
this  man  after  all  told  me  the  truth  at  Branden 
burg?  I  would  have  moved  away,  but  to  do  so 
was  impossible  without  revealing  my  presence, 
and  this  was  the  last  thing  I  desired  to  do  while 
Vawter  remained.  I  was  within  ten  feet  of  them, 
and  every  word  they  spoke,  though  their  voices 
were  at  first  low,  came  to  my  ears  distinctly. 
Vawter  was  the  first  to  speak,  and  from  his  words 
it  was  plain  that  they  had  as  yet  held  little  con 
versation. 

"I  could  not  rest  without  coming  to  offer  my 
sympathy,  Miss  Bellray,"  he  said,  with  well  sim 
ulated  feeling.  "It  was  reported  in  town  that 
your  brother  was  killed,  and  I  am  gratified  to 
learn  that  the  scoundrels  failed.  " 

"Yes,  thank  God,  they  failed,"  she  returned, 
fervently.  "And  you  are  very  kind  to  trouble 
yourself  so  much  about  our  poor  affairs,  when 
you  must  be  needed  so  badly  elsewhere  this 
wretched  night." 

"A  wretched  night,  indeed,  filled  with  dangers 
and  alarms ;  but  you  ought  to  know  that  I  would 
do  anything  in  the  world  for  you."  He  moved 
a  little  nearer  to  her,  and  reaching  out  endeav 
ored  to  take  her  hand.  She  drew  back  from 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         185 

him,  but  he  went  on:  "Kate,  I  love  you;  you 
must  already  have  known  it." 

"Please  do  not  speak  of  such  a  thing,  Mr. 
Vawter,"  she  exclaimed,  moving  away  as  he  ad 
vanced.  "I  did  not  suspect  you  of  thinking  that 
way  about  me ;  I  supposed  you  came  here  only 
to  see  my  brother." 

Vawter 's  manner  changed  quickly. 

"Indeed,"  he  returned,  with  a  sneer  that  re 
vealed  to  her  the  nature  of  the  man  more  clearly 
than  any  words.  "But  I  will  speak  of  it,  if  it  is 
the  very  last  thing  I  ever  do.  You  made  me  be 
lieve  that  my  presence  here  was  agreeable  to  you, 
and  I  really  thought  that  I  had  made  a  deep  im 
pression  upon  your  innocent  heart.  As  for  your 
fool  of  a  brother — " 

"Stop,  sir!"  cried  Kate  in  a  voice  that  it  did 
me  good  to  hear.  "I  thought  you  were  a  gen 
tleman  and  treated  you  civilly.  I  am  sorry  now 
that  I  did  so,  and  hope  you  will  take  yourself 
away  and  not  again  offend  us.  Since  you  so  sadly 
misconstrue  your  reception  here  it  is  necessary  to 
speak  plainly." 

"You  are  quite  tragic,  upon  my  soul  you  are," 
Vawter  said,  with  a  laugh  hard  and  malicious. 
"How  would  you  treat  me  if  I  were  one  John 
Trenham,  the  bold  moss-trooper  who,  with  the 
raider  Morgan's  other  bandits  and  red-hands, 
will  come  to  cut  all  our  throats  to-morrow?" 

At  this  my  anger  rose  afresh,  and  before  I  could 


1 86  The  Legionaries 

recollect  myself  I  had  slipped  my  sword  from  its 
scabbard,  though  without  serious  thought  as  to 
what  I  should  do  with  it.  Kate  was  facing  the  place 
where  I  stood,  but  Vawter's  back  was  toward  me. 
In  my  excitement  I  had  momentarily  brought  my 
face  into  the  light,  and  in  that  moment  her  eyes 
met  mine.  She  turned  as  pale  as  death  and  put 
her  hand  on  the  porch  railing  as  if  for  support, 
but  retained  her  presence  of  mind. 

"Ah!  That  touches  you,  does  it?"  Vawter 
added,  seeing  her  emotion  and  supposing  that  it 
was  caused  by  his  last  remarks. 

"Go!"  said  Kate,  straightening  herself  and 
pointing  toward  the  gate. 

"Oh,  you  order  me  away  as  though  I  were  a 
contraband  nigger.  I  will  go,  of  course,  but  let 
me  first  tell  you  — ' ' 

"Go,  go,  as  you  value  your  life,"  she  said 
again,  for  she  saw  the  gleaming  of  a  naked  sword 
blade  through  the  syringa  leaves. 

He  moved  slowly  toward  the  steps.  "I  don't 
appreciate  the  force  of  your  threat,  Miss  Bellray, 
since  that  copperhead  brother  of  yours  has  suffi 
cient  reason  for  keeping  to  his  bed." 

He  paused,  and  removing  his  hat,  bowed 
low  with  mock  civility.  "I  was  just  going  to  say 
when  you  interrupted  me,  that  Captain  Trenham 
will  doubtless  dangle  from  a  limb  in  the  court 
house  yard  at  Corydon  before  another  twelve 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         187 

hours  have  passed.  Take  that  for  a  night-cap, 
my  imperious  lady." 

Kate  fell  back  as  from  a  blow,  and  clutched 
one  of  the  supporting  pillars  where  she  stood 
with  wide  eyes  and  heaving  breast,  while  Vaw- 
ter,  having  delivered  himself  of  his  cowardly 
speech,  went  deliberately  down  the  steps.  Reach 
ing1  the  bottom,  he  half  turned  about  as  if  to  say 
more,  and  his  eyes  fell  upon  me.  I  had  stepped 
out  into  the  light  from  the  darkness  that  had 
concealed  me,  for  I  could  endure  his  insolence  to 
this  unprotected  girl  no  longer. 

"Hound!"  said  I,  forgetting  myself  and  strik 
ing  him  smartly  across  the  face  with  my  open 
hand,  "so  I  must  chastise  you  twice  within  the 
hours  of  a  day.  Now  do  as  Miss  Bellray  bade 
you — begone ! ' ' 

He  took  a  step  backward,  looking  at  me  wick 
edly. 

"'Hound,'  and  'begone,'  is  it,  Captain  Tren- 
ham?  Those  are  words  used  with  dogs,  but  do 
not  forget  that  dogs  can  bite." 

Then  without  another  word,  but  with  a  malig 
nant  scowl  on  his  face,  he  went  down  the  walk. 
When  he  reached  the  shadows  he  stopped  and 
half  drew  from  his  pocket  a  pistol,  but,  reconsid 
ering,  went  on. 

When  Vawter  had  gone  away  I  put  him  en 
tirely  out  of  my  mind  and  turned  toward  Kate, 
who  gave  me  her  hand  when  I  got  to  her  at  the 


1 88  The  Legionaries 


door  where  she  was  now  standing.  The  welcome 
she  gave  me  was  not  formal,  for  the  unusual 
circumstances  of  our  meeting  forbade  that,  but 
there  was  a  constraint  of  manner  that  made  me 
uncomfortable.  And  when  we  went  into  the 
house,  as  we  did  immediately,  neither  of  us 
seemed  to  know  precisely  what  to  say  to  the 
other. 

I  held  my  broad  cavalry  hat  in  my  hand  and 
was  conscious  of  feeling  awkward  and  out  of  place. 
Kate  appeared  to  be  a  little  in  fear  of  me,  and  in 
spite  of  herself  moved  a  step  or  two  further  away 
when,  in  the  full  light  of  the  room,  her  eyes  rested 
on  my  gray,  travel-stained  uniform — the  unmis 
takable  badge  of  a  rebel  in  arms.  As  I  saw  this 
action  I  could  not  help  smiling,  and  said,  for 
want  of  something  better : 

"I  am  not  dangerous,  Kate,  nor  did  I  garb 
myself  to  offend  you ;  my  visit  to  you  to-night 
was  not  long  considered." 

Realizing  what  she  had  done  she  came  up  to 
me  and  again  held  out  her  hand,  looking  now 
only  into  my  face. 

"Forgive  me,"  she  said,  simply;  "you  are  the 
first  real  rebel  that  I  have  seen,  and  I  was  trying 
hard  to  persuade  myself  to  be  frightened,  which 
was  very  ridiculous  in  me,  of  course,  seeing  that  it 
is  only  you.  But  you  know  what  I  have  always 
thought." 

"I  have  never  for  a  moment  forgotten  it,  but 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         189 

we  will  not  let  that  trouble  us  now,"  said  I,  de 
siring  to  get  away  from  this  old,  dangerous  ground. 
"Tell  me  about  Roger." 

"Then  you  have  heard  about  it?" 

"Only  that  something  very  strange  had  taken 
place.  I  came  to  see  my  mother  and  found  her 
uneasy  and  disturbed  about  your  family  on  ac 
count  of  things  that  she  had  heard  over  this  way. 
She  herself  will  see  you  in  the  morning.  What 
has  happened?" 

She  briefly,  and  with  some  agitation  as  the 
events  of  the  past  hours  were  recalled,  narrated 
the  story  that  I  have  already  outlined. 

"They  thought  he  was  dead,  and  so  did  we  all 
until  he  was  carried  into  the  house.  Then  it  was 
discovered  that  he  was  breathing,  and  he  soon  re 
turned  to  consciousness  but  showed  traces  of  de 
lirium.  We  sent  for  Dr.  White  who  found  that 
the  bullet  that  struck  him  in  the  head  had  made 
only  a  glancing  wound.  He  has  two  other  inju 
ries  but  they  also,  thank'God,  are  superficial.  He 
is  sleeping  now.  Dr.  White  thinks  he  may  be 
able  to  travel,  but  says  that  he  should  remain  at 
home,  which  under  the  circumstances  is  impossi 
ble.  Information  that  he  is  alive  will  get  abroad 
and  his  enemies  will  finish  the  work  they  have 
begun  if  he  does  not  go  away.  Oh,  it  is  all  so 
dreadful,  so  dreadful!" 

She  went  to  the  window  and  looked  out  into 


190  The  Legionaries 

the  darkness  through  the  blurring  tears  that  filled 
her  eyes.  I  went  over  and  stood  beside  her,  my 
heart  swelling  with  a  great  pity  and  tenderness — 
aye,  and  much  more  than  that.  For  a  little 
time  we  were  both  silent,  then  she  turned  her 
face  toward  mine,  hastily  wiping  away  the  tears. 

"What  shall  I  do?"  she  asked  chokingly.  "I 
have  no  one  to  advise  me.  Roger  is  utterly  with 
out  friends  here  who  would  aid  him  excepting 
those  who  hold  views  like  his  own,  and  I  will 
never  call  upon  them — never ! ' ' 

"I  am  only  a  rebel,  Kate,  with  a  leave  of  ab 
sence  from  my  command  that  will  expire  in  two 
hours,  but  I  will  help  you  if  I  can.  Roger  must 
not  stay  here;  if  he  is  able  let  him  go  with  me." 

"Oh,  no,  no!"  she  exclaimed.  "He  must 
not  do  that — he  never,  I  am  sure,  thought  of  go 
ing  so  far.  It  is  enough  that — "  She  stopped 
suddenly,  confused  and  disconcerted. 

"It  is  enough  that  I  am  a  rebel,"  said  I,  fin 
ishing  her  sentence.  "I  am  glad  to  hear  you 
say  that,  for  it  shows  that  you  have  thought  of 
me,  even  though  you  have  done  it  reproachfully. 
But  I  did  not  mean  that  he  should  link  himself 
to  the  precarious  fortunes  of  the  Confederate  sol 
diery,  as  I  have  done.  Show  me  the  way  and 
we  will  go  and  talk  with  him  about  it.  We  need 
disturb  him  only  a  moment." 

No  definite  plan  whereby  I  could  aid  her 
brother  had  occurred  to  me ;  but  an  idea  that  he 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         191 

might  be  carried  along  with  our  forces  as  an  os 
tensible  prisoner  or  something  of  the  kind  had 
partially  formed  itself  in  my  mind.  Beyond  that 
I  could  see  no  way  just  then,  and  the  scheme  was 
so  poor  and  weak  that  I  did  not  mention  it  to 
Kate,  hoping  that  after  consulting  with  Roger 
some  better  arrangement  might  be  suggested. 

In  the  matter  of  taking  and  giving  blows  I 
could  bear  my  share,  but  to  get  this  man  away 
from  the  reach  of  his  enemies  without  compro 
mising  him  still  more  in  their  sight  required  a 
delicate  strategy  in  which  I  felt  that  I  would  be 
little  better  than  a  blunderer.  And  yet  if  the  sit 
uation  was  as  bad  as  his  sister  believed  it  to  be  he 
must  be  taken  away,  whatever  might  befall. 

We  went  up  the  stairs,  Kate's  arm  through 
mine,  her  hand  resting  confidingly  on  the  traitor 
ous  cloth  of  which  my  sleeve  was  made.  At  the 
head  of  the  stairs  we  met  Mrs.  Willing,  who,  on 
seeing  me,  started  back  with  an  exclamation  of 
fright,  as  if  I  had  been  some  horrible  specter. 

"It  is  only  Captain  Trenham,  Aunt  Sarah," 
said  Kate,  reassuringly. 

"And  I  thank  heaven  that  it  is  only  you,  Mr. 
Trenham,"  she  returned,  her  face  lighting  up  in 
recognition.  "Whatever  else  you  may  be  you 
are  our  friend — that  we  know — and  we  are  in 
great  fear  and  distress."  Then  she  turned  to 
Kate.  "Oh,  my  poor,  poor  child,  how  tired 
you  look." 


192  The  Legionaries 

After  a  word  or  two  she  passed  on  down  the 
stairs,  and  we  entered  Roger's  room,  where  we 
found  him  reclining  on  a  couch,  fully  dressed 
but  looking  pale  and  inert.  He  had  had  no  warn 
ing  of  my  presence  in  the  house,  but  showed 
no  surprise  on  seeing  me.  As  I  entered,  he  got 
upon  his  feet  from  instinctive  courtesy,  and  came 
forward  to  meet  me,  moving  unsteadily.  In  the 
middle  of  the  room  he  reeled  as  from  dizziness 
or  weakness,  and  would  have  fallen  had  I  not  hur 
ried  to  his  support  and  led  him  back  to  the  couch. 

"I  am  all  right,  John,"  he  said,  smiling  va 
cantly.  "I  rose  too  quickly  and  it  made  my 
head  swim  a  little,  that's  all.  I  think  I  fell  from 
my  horse  coming  from  town,  didn't  I,  Kate? 
He  must  have  shied  at  something.  I  heard  in  the 
town  that  Lincoln  had  been  elected.  If  that  is 
true  it  will  make  a  lot  of  trouble,  John — maybe 
bring  war.  Douglas  should  have  been  chosen." 

I  turned  from  Roger  and  looked  at  Kate.  A 
deep  pallor  was  on  her  face  and  the  hand  that  lay 
in  her  lap  trembled.  This  was  not  delirium;  it 
was  different  from  the  vagaries  of  fever  and  had 
root  in  a  deeper  cause.  I  remembered  hearing 
it  told  how,  coming  from  the  town  where  he  had 
gone  to  learn  the  result  of  the  last  presidential 
election,  he  had  received  an  injury  that  was  sup 
posed  to  have  been  caused  by  a  fall  from  his  horse, 
and  was  brought  home  senseless.  He  had  speed 
ily  recovered,  however,  and  his  sister,  then  at 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         193 

school,  was  not  sent  for.  But  now  he  was  living  in 
that  period  again,  and  all  subsequent  things,  as  it 
turned  out,  were  to  him  as  if  they  had  never  been. 

"They  need  not  have  sent  for  you,  Kate;  it  is 
nothing  at  all  serious — why,  child,  how  you  have 
grown  !  You  are  almost  a  woman  now — strange 
that  I  didn't  notice  it  before — and  you  look  so 
much  like  our  mother.  Well,  now  that  you  are 
here  you  can  stay  until  after  the  holidays.  And, 
John,  I  hadn't  heard  that  you  had  come  home. 
You  look  strong  and  rugged — French  living  has 
agreed  with  you,  boy,  but  if  that  is  the  kind  of 
uniform  they  dressed  you  in  over  there  they  have 
poor  taste ;  there  is  nothing  to  equal  American 
blue.  I  have  not  seen  your  father  since  I  was 
hurt;  how  is  he?" 

My  father,  who  was  ill  at  the  time  of  Roger's 
former  injury,  had  been  dead  for  nearly  three 
years,  but  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  say  so. 
Before  I  could  formulate  a  satisfactory  answer  he 
went  on : 

"The  election  will  sorely  disappoint  him.  He 
favored  Breckinridge,  you  know.  The  people 
ought  to  have  chosen  Douglas — a  man  in  no 
sense  a  radical — and  he  would  have  found  a  way 
to  avert  the  trouble  that  is  threatening  us.  Par 
don  me,  but  I  feel  tired  and  think  I  can  sleep  a 
little.  Ride  over  to-morrow.  Good-night." 

He  lay  back  wearily  on  his  pillow,  closed  his 
13 — LEGIONARIES. 


194  The  Legionaries 

eyes  and  seemed  to  be  oblivious  of  his  surround 
ings.  But  in  a  moment  he  roused  and  spoke  his 
sister's  name.  She  bent  over  him,  putting  her 
hand  on  his  troubled  head. 

"I  find  that  I  am  very  weak;  have  I  been  ill 
long?" 

Kate  hesitated  about  her  answer  and  looked  at 
me.  I  nodded  my  head  affirmatively,  thinking 
that  he  might  be  comforted. 

"Yes,  my  brother;  you  have  been  ill  a  long 
time,"  she  said. 

"I  thought  it  must  be  so,"  he  returned  faintly. 

And  thus  we  left  him,  as  completely  separated 
from  recent  events  as  if  the  shot  fired  by  the 
horse-buyer  had  taken  fatal  effect.  Only  time 
could  tell  how  long  the  affliction  would  last,  but 
while  it  endured  he  was  safe  from  the  troubles 
that  had  beset  him.  No  need  to  think  now  of 
removing  him  or  of  devising  other  schemes  for 
his  safety,  and  while  it  grieved  me  much  to  see 
him  so,  I  felt  relieved  of  a  disagreeble  and  deli 
cate  responsibility. 

As  we  went  down,  the  tall  clock  in  the  angle 
of  the  stairs  marked  the  quarter  before  three. 
The  short  night  was  nearly  at  an  end,  and  I  had 
a  good  twelve  miles  to  ride.  I  should  have  gone 
at  once,  but  could  not  do  so  without  stopping  to 
speak  to  Kate  some  words  of  encouragement 
about  her  brother. 

Then  Vawter  came  again  into  my  mind  and  I 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         195 

inquired  as  to  his  relations  with  Roger,  learning 
that  he  had  been  frequently  at  the  house,  some 
times  coming  with  Roger's  friends  and  some 
times  alone.  Kate  said  that  her  brother  had 
latterly  spoken  of  the  man  as  if  suspicious  of  him. 
Beyond  this  she  knew  nothing  of  him  or  his 
purposes  and  I  did  not  enlighten  her  as  to  the 
little  that  I  knew.  For  it  was  little  to  be  sure, 
yet  sufficient,  taken  with  what  she  had  told  me, 
to  satisfy  me  that  he  had  in  some  way  been  in 
volved  in  Roger's  misfortune. 

On  her  part,  Kate  steadily  refrained  from  ask 
ing  questions  concerning  myself.  I  was  alive  and 
well — that  she  could  see — and  if  she  were  inter 
ested  in  anything  else  that  had  happened  to  me 
since  I  had  last  seen  her  she  did  not  indicate  it  by 
words.  But  her  manner,  I  thought,  told  as  much 
as  language  could. 

In  the  presence  of  the  night's  increasing  ter 
rors  she  now  saw  only  individuals  and  effects; 
principles  and  causes  were  put  out  of  sight,  if  not 
forgotten.  Her  spirit  was  not  broken,  only  de 
pressed  .  She  seemed  not  to  think  whether  my  coat 
was  gray  or  blue,  nor  to  care  whether  it  was  em 
blematic  of  the  cause  of  the  North  or  of  the 
South. 

Mrs.  Willing,  after  a  little  time,  had  gone  and 
left  us  together.  She  had  said  that  I  was  a  friend, 
whatever  else  I  might  be.  And  when  she  had 
taken  herself  away  I  confessed  to  the  one  who  re- 


196  The  Legionaries 

mained  how  it  was  with  me — how  much  more 
than  a  friend  I  would  be  to  her  if  she  would  let 
me.  Her  distress,  her  appeal  to  me  for  aid,  her 
manifest  disposition  to  overlook,  at  least  for  the 
time,  my  part  in  the  invasion  (for  she  had  not  yet 
once  referred  to  it)  all  conspired  to  drive  me  on 
to  a  declaration  of  my  feelings. 

Then  it  was  that  she  seemed  to  awaken  as  if 
from  a  benumbing  dream.  Her  figure  straight 
ened,  her  face  flushed  and  her  eyes  were  alight 
with  the  old  fire.  I  felt  my  heart  sink  like  lead 
in  my  bosom  before  she  had  uttered  a  word,  and 
I  inwardly  cursed  the  haste  that  had  seemingly 
ruined  my  hope. 

"Sir,  in  my  troubles  I  had  forgotten  who  you 
were  and  thought  of  you  only  as  one  in  whom 
I  might  trust.  Now  I  remember  that  you  came 
as  an  enemy,  with  an  army  about  you,  to  trample 
upon  us  and  drive  us  from  our  homes  under  the  lead 
of  your  desperate  chief.  Return  to  him  and  tell 
him  that  we  are  defenseless,  and  pray  him  to  finish 
his  work  of  fire  and  blood  quickly.  Oh !  why  did 
you  bring  him  here?  Why  didn't  you  take  him 
elsewhere?" 

"In  God's  name,  stop,  Kate,"  said  I,  wounded 
to  the  heart.  "If  I  could  laugh  now,  I  would 
laugh  at  your  questions.  /  bring  my  General 
here  or  take  him  elsewhere?  He  goes  where  he 
pleases,  and  I  am  only  a  humble  follower  of  as 
brave  and  knightly  a  soldier  as  ever  drew  sword. 


The  Garb  of  a  Rebel         197 

He  makes  war  only  upon  those  who  oppose  him 
with  arms,  and  he  comes  here  with  as  good  a 
right  as  that  which  sends  your  Sheridan  and  his 
men  through  the  southern  country." 

"Perhaps  it  is  so;  I  understand  little  about 
such  things,  and  this  general  of  yours  is  held  in 
terror,  justly  or  unjustly.  I  do  not  want  to  hurt 
you,  for  you  have  always  been  good  and  kind  to 
me.  But  I  am  so  miserable  and  unhappy.  I 
have  borne  so  much."  She  took  a  tottering  step 
toward  me.  "Oh,  John,  had  you  come  under 
any  other  circumstances  I  might  have  talked  dif 
ferently.  When  you  come  again — " 

" — If  I  ever  do,"  I  interrupted,  bitterly,  feel 
ing  that  I  did  not  care  if  I  should  never  come 
again. 

'What  do  you  mean  by  that?"  she  asked, 
gaspingly,  her  eyes  wide  and  staring. 

"My  life  is  full  of  perils  and  they  will  now 
thicken  about  me.  Our  way  lies  through  our 
enemies'  country  and  we  can  have  no  support 
from  our  friends.  Overwhelming  numbers  will 
be  thrown  against  us,  but  we  shall  not  flinch  nor 
turn  back.  Pardon  me,  Kate,  for  opening  my 
heart  to  you;  the  things  that  I  told  you  have 
burdened  me  long.  I  couldn't  help  it.  But 
I  realize  now,  when  it  is  too  late,  that  I  made  a 
mistake,  and  it  only  remains  for  me  to  leave."  I 
said  a  word  of  farewell  and  turned  to  go. 

"Wait,  John,"  she  cried;  "you  must  not  go 


198  The  Legionaries 

without  knowing.  I  can  not  deceive  you  longer— 
I  am  not  strong  enough.  Oh,  don't  you  see  that 
I  love  you,  my  dear,  and  that  my  heart,  which 
has  followed  you  longingly  all  these  awful  months, 
is  breaking  for  you  now?" 

In  a  moment  she  was  in  my  arms,  and  though 
I  were  a  thousand  times  a  rebel  it  would,  she 
presently  admitted,  have  been  the  same. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   END    OF    THE    HORSE-BUYER 

FOR  a  time,  in  my  happiness,  I  forgot  every 
thing  else,  and  small  wonder  it  was.  But  the 
flight  of  the  clock's  hands  around  the  dial  plate 
did  not  cease,  and  time,  which  had  stood  still 
while  the  favored  Joshua  fought  a  battle,  did  not 
wait  upon  my  love-making.  I  was  startled  at 
last  by  hearing  the  hour  of  four  strike,  and  by 
observing  that  dawn  had  come.  I  had  over 
stayed  my  leave  and  would  be  held  remiss  in  my 
duty,  but  I  did  not  doubt  that  I  could  make  sat 
isfactory  excuses  to  the  General.  With  quickly 
spoken  words  of  farewell  I  took  my  departure. 

As  upon  the  preceding  morning  a  heavy  fog 
hung  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  the  hour  being 
early  it  was  almost  impenetrable  to  the  sight. 
Objects  a  hundred  feet  away  were  hidden  as  ef 
fectually  as  if  they  did  not  exist.  It  was  a  good 
half  hour  before  sunrise,  and  the  fog  would  last 
sometime  after  that.  Without  a  knowledge  of 
the  country  the  task  before  me  would  be  both 
difficult  and  dangerous.  But,  knowing  the  direc 
tions  well  and  having  a  fair  acquaintance  with  the 
(199) 


200  The  Legionaries 

roads,  I  had  little  to  fear  unless  I  encountered  the 
enemy's  scouts  or  belated  companies  of  legion 
aries  hastening  to  repel  the  invader.  As  an  ex 
tra  precaution  I  made  a  wide  detour  to  the  west 
ward,  riding  along  at  a  hard  gallop. 

Voices  coming  through  the  mist  at  intervals  on 
both  sides  of  the  road,  where  I  judged  houses  to 
be,  proved  that  the  populace  was  awake.  Now 
and  then  I  would  hear  the  rumble  of  wheels  and  the 
hammering  of  horses'  feet  and  would  presently 
come  upon  a  wagon  carrying  a  family  fleeing 
from  the  path  of  the  raider.  Past  these  I  would 
dash  at  speed,  and,  if  hailed,  make  no  response. 

Nearly  half  of  my  journey  had  been  accom 
plished  when  the  increased  light  showed  that  the 
sun  was  rising.  Objects  were  discernible  at  a 
greater  distance,  and  it  became  clear  that  the 
mist  would  be  rapidly  evaporated.  I  pushed 
ahead  with  accelerated  speed,  the  horse — a  fresh 
one  that  I  had  obtained  from  my  mother's  stable 
— responding  with  spirit  to  every  unaccustomed 
touch  of  my  heavy  war  spurs. 

So  far,  my  course  had  been  taken  along  a  route 
which  subjected  me  to  slight  chance  of  interrup 
tion.  And  after  a  while,  believing  that  I  was 
beyond  any  possible  outposts  of  the  legionaries, 
who  had  been  reported  to  us  the  night  before  as 
concentrating  at  Corydon,  I  cut  boldly  across 
toward  the  Mauckport  road  by  which  I  knew  it 
was  the  General's  purpose  to  move  upon  the  town. 


The  End  of  the  Horse-Buyer     201 

A  brisk  ride  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour  brought 
me  to  this  road,  and  I  turned  south.  The  Con 
federate  advance,  if  it  had  maintained  its  posi 
tion,  was  less  than  four  miles  away.  The  light 
in  the  east  had  changed  from  a  grayish  white  to  a 
golden  yellow,  and  the  tops  of  the  trees  were 
gleaming  in  the  sun's  rays.  A  thin  veil  of  mist 
still  clung  sullenly  to  the  ground,  as  if  determined 
to  oppose  to  the  last  the  batteries  of  its  powerful 
enemy. 

I  had  pursued  the  Mauckport  road  a  mile  or 
more  when  several  horsemen  broke  suddenly  from 
concealment  behind  some  willows  at  the  roadside, 
and  barred  my  progress.  I  was  moving  at  a 
gait  that  carried  me  into  the  midst  of  the  party 
before  I  could  check  and  turn  my  horse,  or  draw 
a  weapon  to  defend  myself.  One  of  the  men 
seized  my  bridle  rein  near  the  bit  and  clung  on, 
while  the  others  presented  their  pistols  and  com 
manded  me  to  yield.  Resistance  was  folly  un 
less  I  was  tired  of  living — and  I  had  more  cause 
for  wanting  to  live  now  than  ever  before — so 
I  submitted  with  the  best  grace  possible,  which 
was  poor  enough.  I  was  at  once  deprived  of  my 
pistols,  but  my  sword  was  not  taken  from  me. 

At  the  first  onset  I  had  recognized  Vawter  as 
one  of  my  captors,  and  the  face  of  the  man  who 
seemed  to  be  the  leader  among  them  had  a  fa 
miliar  look.  Like  a  flash  it  came  to  me  that  this 
was  the  man  of  Colonel  Mandrell's  house — he  of 


202  The  Legionaries 

the  stubby  mustache  and  the  manner  of  a  sergeant 
of  police — the  renowned  Captain  Bracken  himself. 
That  there  was  no  mistake  about  it  was  proved 
when  he  presently  addressed  me. 

"I  am  glad  to  see  you  again,  Captain  Trenham 
— for  I  understand  that  you  have  achieved  such  a 
distinction  since  our  last  meeting,"  said  he,  in 
high  good  humor. 

"I  can  not  say  as  much  of  you,  sir,"  I  re 
torted  savagely. 

Bracken  laughed.  "You  are  excused,  under 
the  circumstances,  from  returning  the  compli 
ment,"  he  said.  "A  considerable  indebtedness 
is  owing  to  this  gentleman" — indicating  Vawter — 
"for  your  company  this  morning,  Captain,  though 
the  debt  should  be  reduced  by  half  because  of  the 
devil  of  a  wait  we  have  had,  expecting  every  min 
ute  to  have  some  of  your  fellows  down  upon  us. 
It  will  take  many  a  mile  out  of  this  to  make  me 
feel  right  and  drive  the  chills  from  my  back." 

What  was  intended  for  a  tantalizing  smile  dis 
figured  Vawter's  face  as  he  looked  at  me. 

"The  captain  no  doubt  found  excellent  enter 
tainment  where  he  was,"  he  said  with  an  insinu 
ating  smirk  that  made  my  blood  boil ;  but  I  said 
nothing,  feeling  that  I  could  not  trust  myself  to 
make  a  rejoinder. 

Bracken  gave  the  word  to  move  on,  and  the 
party  started  toward  the  south,  two  men  besides 
the  leader  and  Vawter,  riding  in  front,  and  two 


The  End  of  the  Horse-Buyer     203 

more,  completing  the  number,  bringing  up  the 
rear.  In  a  short  time  we  reached  a  road  run 
ning  to  the  right,  and  into  it  we  turned,  except 
ing  Vawter,  who  went  straight  ahead  as  if  his 
part  of  the  work  had  been  accomplished.  We 
had  traveled  the  westerly  road  several  minutes  at 
a  rapid  pace  when  it  seemed  to  occur  to  Bracken 
to  hold  further  conversation  with  me ;  he  dropped 
back  and  thudded  along  by  my  side,  checking  the 
pace  in  order  that  he  might  talk  more  at  his  ease. 

"I  really  don  't  know  that  there  is  anything 
against  you,  Captain,  other  than  being  a  rebel," 
he  began.  "When  you  fell  into  my  hands  at 
Louisville — the  time  you  gave  me  the  slip,  you 
remember — you  had  entered  a  trap  that  was  not 
baited  for  you,  and  I  detained  you,  or  rather  it 
was  my  purpose  to  detain  you,  on  suspicion. 
And  now,  as  I  do  not  want  to  return  empty- 
handed  and  can't  very  well  take  along  a  dead 
man,  I  jumped  at  the  chance  that  fellow  gave  me 
to  get  you.  It  was  a  slim  chance,  though,  for 
you  might  have  taken  some  other  road." 

I  had  already  condemned  myself  for  not  taking 
another  road,  but  I  cast  the  subject  from  my  mind 
as  vain  punishment.  What  struck  me  sharply 
was  the  other's  belief  that  Roger  Bellray  was 
really  dead,  and  I  wondered  what  purpose  Vaw 
ter  could  have  in  withholding  the  truth.  Let  it  be 
what  it  might,  I  put  that  one  thing  to  his  credit. 

"Why  do  you  take  me?"  I  asked. 


204  The  Legionaries 

"It  is  always  in  order  to  capture  the  enemy, 
especially  when  he  is  one  of  Morgan's  men,  who 
make  no  end  of  trouble  and  are  as  slippery  as 
eels,"  Bracken  answered,  easily.  "Besides,  I 
have  never  forgotten  how  you  fooled  me  that 
other  time,  and  I  don't  quite  understand  yet  how 
you  did  it.  You  no  doubt  think  I  should  have 
let  you  take  your  chances  with  the  legionaries 
and  that  I  have  gone  out  of  my  line  of  service, 
but  I  am  glad  to  have  something  to  show  for  two 
days  of  hellishly  disagreeable  work." 

"But  I  will  certainly  be  exchanged  soon,  at 
any  rate;  is  it  not  so?" 

"No,  I  think  not;  you  see  our  folks  got  so 
many  rebs  when  Pemberton  surrendered  Vicks- 
burg  and  when  Lee  got  licked  at  Gettysburg  that 
the  government  will  be  compelled  to  suspend 
the  cartel  providing  for  exchanges.  Quite  likely 
you'll  not  get  out  till  the  war  is  over." 

This  was  very  gloomy  news,  but  if  a  military 
prison  was  to  be  my  fate  I  must  of  necessity  bear 
it.  Yet  my  mind,  which  had  already  been  busy 
with  thoughts  of  escape,  must  be  kept  wide  awake 
to  any  opportunity  that  might  offer  to  such  end. 
I  determined  that  for  the  present  it  would  be  best 
to  appear  to  accept  my  misfortune  in  good  spirit. 

"That  is  a  hard  situation  for  an  active  man  to 
face,"  I  said,  "but  if  it  comes  to  me  I  will  try  to 
endure  it.  By  the  way,  how  does  it  come  that 
you  let  Vawter  go  back  to  General  Morgan?" 


The  End  of  the  Horse-Buyer     205 

"Vawter?  His  name  is  Vawter,  is  it?  Well, 
he  may  be  useful  to  the  General,"  and  he  laughed. 

"Or  to  his  Unionist  employers,"  I  added,  to 
which  observation  the  other  made  no  reply  save 
by  a  shrug  of  his  muscular  shoulders.  Seeing 
that  he  was  disinclined  to  continue  the  subject  I 
let  it  drop  without  further  comment. 

Up  to  this  time  I  had  given  no  particular  atten 
tion  to  any  of  the  party  excepting  the  two  princi 
pals.  I  had  seen  enough  of  the  two  men  in  front 
to  know  that  they  were  entire  strangers  to  me, 
and  I  now  turned  to  look  at  the  remaining  two, 
trailing  a  hundred  feet  or  more  behind.  One  of 
them  was  unknown,  but  I  was  astonished  to  see 
that  the  other  was  the  horse-buyer,  whose  feat 
ures  I  had  overlooked  in  the  excitement  attend 
ing  my  capture.  Without  intimating  that  I  rec 
ognized  the  man,  I  asked  Captain  Bracken,  who 
seemed  inclined  to  be  talkative  in  non-essentials : 

"Who  is  the  man  behind,  to  the  left?" 

Bracken  glanced  backward.  "That  is  a  great 
coward  and  blunderer,"  he  answered,  a  frown 
settling  on  his  face.  "His  name  is  Spilker,  or 
some  such  thing  as  that." 

"Why  do  you  say  he  is  a  coward  and  blun 
derer?" 

"Because  there  are  times  when  it  is  actually  a 
pleasure  to  speak  the  truth.  That  fellow  diso 
beyed  my  orders  and  killed  the  man  I  wanted  to 
arrest.  Now  he's  afraid  to  stay  and  face  the 


206  The  Legionaries 

music;  swears  the  man's  friends  will  hunt  him 
out  and  kill  him.  And  I  have  no  doubt  they 
would,  but  it  would  be  small  loss." 

He  spoke  coolly  and  with  an  entire  lack  of  feel 
ing,  beyond  disappointment  at  his  failure  to  get 
the  man. 

"Does  he  belong  to  your  party?" 

"Him?  Not  much;  he  belonged  to  a  small 
company  of  what  he  called  independent  home- 
guards  who  mostly  deserted  him  after  he  killed 
the  man,  and  I  believe  wouldn't  have  much  to  do 
with  him 'before.  I  am  merely  giving  him  a 
chance  to  get  out  of  the  country." 

"Who  was  the  man  that  was  killed?"  I  asked, 
for  his  blunt  way  of  answering  my  questions  in 
terested  me. 

The  captain  evidently  believed  that  he  had 
said  enough,  for  instead  of  making  any  response 
he  put" spurs  to  his  horse  and  resumed  his  place 
in  front.  When  a  half  hour  afterward  the  dis 
tant  report  of  a  cannon  was  heard  over  Corydon 
way  he  turned  in  his  saddle  and  shouted  back 
at  me: 

"Your  friends  are  beginning  operations  early 
this  morning." 

"So  it  seems,"  said  I.  For  the  first  time  that 
sound  saddened  me,  and  struck  upon  my  ears 
more  as  a  knell  than  as  a  gage  of  battle. 

An  hour's  ride  from  the  Mauckport  road  brought 
our  party  to  the  Ohio  river  somewhat  to  the  north 


The  End  of  the  Horse-Buyer     207 

of  the  village  of  New  Amsterdam.  At  this  point 
the  great  water-course  runs  to  the  north  for  a 
distance  of  several  miles,  then  strikes  off  to  the 
northwest,  passing  the  river  town  of  Leavenworth, 
and  shortly  beyond  that  makes  a  sharp  bend  and 
abruptly  turns  back  upon  itself,  flowing  southeast 
ward  many  miles  before  it  resumes  its  general 
course  toward  the  mighty  Mississippi. 

Thus  a  sharp  Kentucky  peninsula,  in  shape  like 
a  gigantic  thumb,  was  created  by  the  boundary 
makers  and  sandwiched  between  two  Indiana 
shore  lines.  Half  way  between  the  two  towns 
mentioned,  on  the  northern  side,  was  an  obscure 
and  little  used  landing,  where  steamboats,  pass 
ing  up  or  down  the  river,  would  stop  for  passen 
gers  or  freight  only  on  being  signaled  to  do  so. 
For  some  reason  Captain  Bracken  preferred  this 
landing  to  the  more  public  stopping  places,  and 
our  small  cavalcade  headed  northward,  following 
the  stream  as  closely  as  was  possible. 

Whether  the  news  of  the  invasion  had  frightened 
the  inhabitants  of  the  region  away,  or  whether 
other  causes  kept  them  out  of  sight,  could  not 
be  told.  But  certain  it  is  that  the  few  houses 
which  we  passed  showed  no  signs  of  human  oc 
cupancy.  Here  and  there  a  dog  had  run  out  and 
barked  at  our  heels,  but  his  master's  presence 
was  not  disclosed.  Domestic  fowls  cackled  and 
quacked  about  the  door-yards,  and  cows,  un- 
milked  and  discontented,  were  heard  mooing  at 


208  The  Legionaries 

pasture  bars,  but  neither  housewife  nor  milkmaid 
nor  barefoot  urchin  came  into  view. 

I  noted  the  difference  between  this  condition 
and  that  which  existed  in  the  country  further 
north  as  I  passed  through  it  earlier  in  the  morn 
ing.  These  people  had  surely  fled  the  day  before 
and  had  not  yet  returned,  while  the  voices  heard 
through  the  matin  fog  were,  as  I  had  already 
concluded,  of  those  actually  deserting  or  making 
early  and  hurried  preparations  to  desert  their 
homes  before  the  onward  march  of  my  General. 

But  these  things  occupied  less  of  my  thoughts 
than  did  plans  for  escaping  from  my  captors, 
chances  to  do  which  had  so  far  seemed  slim  and 
discouraging.  Bracken's  statement  about  the 
suspension  of  exchanges  filled  me  with  dismay. 
It  meant  confinement,  possibly,  as  he  had  said, 
until  the  close  of  the  war,  even  if  I  should  be 
compelled  to  face  no  more  serious  charge  than 
that  of  being  a  soldier  of  the  enemy.  Except 
for  this  disheartening  prospect,  and  a  feeling  of 
chagrin  that  I  had  stumbled  so  readily  into  the 
net  that  Vawter  had  spread  for  me,  I  was  not 
sorry  to  be  relieved  from  any  participation  in  the 
morning's  work,  of  which  that  thunder  of  the 
cannon  had  given  warning. 

Our  progress  was  made  slow  by  the  rough  nat 
ure  of  the  country  we  were  traversing,  but  by 
eight  o'clock  we  had  reached  a  bluff  overlooking 
the  landing.  Here  we  drew  rein  and  scanned  the 


The  End  of  the  Horse-Buyer     209 

river.  No  boats  were  plying  its  waters  in  the 
immediate  vicinity,  but  the  smoke  of  steamers  was 
distinctly  visible  toward  Leavenworth.  Whether 
they  were  going  down  or  coming  up  the  stream 
was  for  a  .time  doubtful. 

Presently,  however,  we  made  out  that  a  white- 
hulled  little  vessel  was  coming  fussily  our  way, 
with  much  churning  of  the  water  and  a  display  of 
smoke  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  size  of  the 
craft.  Captain  Bracken  brought  forth  from  some 
where  a  small  glass  and  after  leveling  it  on  the 
boat  appeared  to  be  greatly  pleased  with  the  re 
sult  of  his  inspection. 

'  'We  are  in  luck ;  that  is  a  Louisville  packet, 
and  it  seems  to  be  in  a  nasty  hurry,  too,"  he  said, 
lowering  the  glass.  "Now,  how  do  we  get  down 
to  that  accursed  landing?" 

He  looked  about  him  for  the  road  and  discov 
ered  it  winding  down  from  the  heights  more  than 
half  a  mile  away.  Its  distance  put  him  in  some 
thing  of  a  temper. 

"Damnation!  If  we  go  that  way  we '11  miss 
the  boat.  Here,  Spiker,"  he  called  out  to  the 
fugitive.  "You  ought  to  know  this  place,  and  are 
interested  in  getting  away  from  it.  How  can  we 
get  down  without  going  the  road?" 

"My  name  is  not  Spiker,"  said  the  horse- 
buyer,  with  a  flash  of  spirit. 

"Who  cares  what  it  is?  Catch  that  boat  for  us 
14 — LEGIONARIES. 


2io  The  Legionaries 

and  I'll  willingly  call  you  Napoleon  Bonaparte  or 
anything  you  choose." 

"I've  never  tried  it,"  said  Spelker,  sullenly, 
"but  I  know  a  place  where  I  think  it  can  be 
done,"  and  he  started  off,  the  rest  of  us  follow 
ing. 

Soon  he  stopped  at  a  point  almost  opposite 
the  coveted  landing — coveted  by  the  others,  not 
by  me — where  there  was  a  break  in  the  limestone 
bluff  constituting  a  steep,  irregular  ravine,  through 
which,  in  wet  seasons,  surface  water  no  doubt 
found  its  way  to  the  river.  Judging  from  signs, 
a  considerable  torrent  more  than  once  had  rushed 
and  roared  between  these  jagged  walls,  but  at 
this  time  the  gorge  was  perfectly  dry.  It  seem 
ingly  was  no  great  undertaking  for  men  on  foot 
to  attempt  a  descent  here,  but  it  was  not  so  with 
horses,  being  for  a  part  of  the  way  uneven  and 
in  places  almost  precipitous. 

A  third  of  the  way  down  the  stone  walls  fell 
away,  and  a  little  further  on  was  what  appeared 
to  be  a  rumpled  bank  of  earth  evidently  caused  by 
washings  from  the  high  ground.  At  that  point  the 
occasional  torrent  was  turned  to  the  right  by  this 
obstruction,  running  in  a  narrow  channel  between 
overhanging  ledges  of  rock  on  one  side  and  the 
dangerous-looking  bank  of  clay  on  the  other. 
What  was  beyond  that  I  could  not  see.  I  have 
been  thus  particular  in  description  because  of  the 
extraordinary  thing  that  happened  to  me  there. 


The  End  of  the  Horse-Buyer     2 1 1 

"Here  we  are,"  said  Spelker.  "Once  through 
that  cut  down  there  and  it  will  be  smooth  enough. ' ' 

Bracken  surveyed  the  ground  dubiously,  but  he 
was  in  a  hurry  and  apparently  resolved  to  risk 
breaking  all  of  our  necks  and  those  of  the  horses 
as  well  rather  than  to  miss  the  packet.  Ordering 
everybody  to  dismount,  he  put  all  the  animals 
except  Spelker's  in  charge  of  two  of  the  men 
and  started  them  down  the  gorge ;  Spelker  was 
expected  to  look  after  his  own  horse. 

"You  are  next,  Mr.  Spiker,  and  Captain  Tren- 
ham  will  follow  you,"  said  Bracken,  who  with 
one  of  his  men,  was  to  come  behind. 

In  that  order  the  start  was  made.  The  men 
with  the  horses  had  almost  reached  the  turn 
when  we  began  our  descent,  and  soon  disap 
peared.  On  getting  to  the  turn  I  saw  them  mak 
ing  good  progress  ahead  of  us  where  the  channel 
seemed  to  end  on  a  gently  sloping  plateau. 
Captain  Bracken  and  the  others  were  stumbling 
along  as  much  as  thirty  feet  behind  me. 

Spelker  and  I  had  made  the  turn,  I  close  upon 
his  heels,  and  gone  some  yards,  when  suddenly 
his  horse,  which  he  was  leading  by  the  bit,  gave 
a  snort  of  fright  and  with  a  bound  broke  away 
from  him.  Instantly  the  earth  seemed  to  open 
under  his  feet,  and  he  went  downward  and  out  of 
sight.  I  had  no  time  to  take  a  step  backward  or 
even  to  utter  a  cry  before  I  also  went  down. 
Then  came  a  crushing,  thunderous  noise  above. 


212  The  Legionaries 

The  fall  was  not  to  a  great  depth,  and  was  dead 
ened  by  the  earth  that  had  given  way  under  me. 

On  striking,  I  felt  a  shower  of  earth  and  gravel 
falling  upon  and  around  me,  and  then  had  a  mo 
mentary  sensation  of  trying  to  balance  my  body 
and  failing.  I  rolled  to  one  side,  and  over  and 
over  down  a  smooth  incline  for  a  distance  that 
seemed  unending  until  I  reached  another  level 
that  enabled  me  to  stop  my  uncomfortable  flight. 
A  rattling  noise  as  of  pebbles  bounding  along  a 
hard  surface  had  accompanied  me  to  the  bottom, 
and  they  still  came  down  as  I  rose  to  my  feet, 
bruised,  half-stunned,  but  not  seriously  injured. 

I  was  in  pitch  blackness,  and  could  only  tell 
the  direction  from  which  I  had  come  by  the  occa 
sional  falling  of  the  pebbles,  and  by  hearing  far 
above  the  awful  creeping  and  sifting  sound  of  set 
tling  earth.  Feeling  my  way  cautiously  to  the 
foot  of  the  incline  I  looked  upward,  but  no  ray  of 
light  greeted  my  eyes.  I  stepped  upon  some 
thing  soft,  and  putting  my  hand  down  found  that 
it  was  a  hat,  still  warm  from  the  head  of  the 
wearer.  I  put  it  on. 

Where  was  Spelker?  I  spoke  the  man's  name 
but  there  was  no  answer  save  the  echo  of  my 
own  voice,  which  repeated  and  reiterated  the 
name  from  hollow,  immeasurable  distances.  Sit 
ting  down  on  the  stony  floor  I  rested  for  a  little 
time,  and  then  on  my  hands  and  knees  began  to 
ascend  the  incline.  The  work  was  slow  and  ex- 


The  End  of  the  Horse-Buyer     213 

hausting.  In  places  where  water  had  seeped 
through  from  above  the  stones  were  slimy  with 
the  drip,  and  afforded  no  hold  either  for  hand  or 
foot.  Many  times  I  slipped  back  a  part  of  the 
way,  but  finding  a  drier  spot  would  go  on  again. 

At  last  I  reached  a  ledge  barely  wide  enough 
to  give  me  comfortable  sitting  room.  Drawing 
myself  up  on  this  that  I  might  recover  the  breath 
which  my  labors  had  well-nigh  deprived  me  of,  I 
realized  that  it  was  here  where  I  had  first  fallen. 
But  now,  save  where  I  sat,  the  place  was  heaped 
with  earth  and  rock.  Getting  carefully  to  my  feet 
and  feeling  about  me,  I  found  that  the  opening 
had  been  closed  by  the  falling  of  great  masses  of 
limestone,  crowded  and  wedged  tightly  together, 
with  every  crack  and  crevice  filled  with  soil  and 
sand. 

Through  that  terrible  pile  no  sound  from  the 
outer  world  could  penetrate.  What  folly  to  try 
the  strength  of  my  voice  against  that  entombing 
heap !  I  judged  that  a  part  of  the  wall  of  the 
gorge  had  been  loosened  by  the  washing  storms  of 
centuries,  and  upon  the  yielding  of  the  cavern's 
mouth  had  tumbled  down  its  countless  tons  to 
hide  the  secret  over  which  it  had  so  long  stood 
guard. 

I  again  seated  myself  on  the  ledge  to  consider 
my  situation.  And  then  I  remembered  that  before 
leaving  my  mother's  house,  she  had,  along  with 
other  small  articles,  provided  me  with  a  box  of 


214  The  Legionaries 

matches,  which  I  had  put  in  my  coat  pocket.  I 
began  a  search  for  these,  suddenly  fearful  that 
I  had  lost  them,  but  they  were  still  secure. 
Lighting  one  I  looked  around  as  far  as  its  blaze 
enabled  me.  Nothing  that  I  had  not  previously 
discovered  was  revealed — but  hold !  Just  as  it 
flickered  out  something  flashed  a  little  further 
along  the  ledge. 

Moving  toward  the  spot,  I  struck  another 
match,  and  there,  in  the  circle  of  light  made  by 
its  small  flame,  lay  a  large,  muscular  human 
hand,  with  a  gaudy  ring  on  one  of  its  stiffening 
fingers.  Tons  of  stone  and  earth  concealed  the 
arm  and  body  to  which  that  hand  belonged,  but 
I  knew  that  it  was  Spelker's. 

A  shudder  passed  through  me,  and  I  became 
faint  and  dizzy.  What  had  saved  my  life?  Spel- 
ker  had  fallen  first,  and  in  the  natural  order  of 
things  it  seemed  that  I,  and  not  the  other,  would 
have  been  crushed  under  that  mighty  weight. 
Only  the  providence  which  had  thrown  me  over 
the  ledge  and  sent  me  rolling  down  the  incline  in 
the  very  nick  of  time  had  saved  me  from  the 
horrible  fate  that  had  overtaken  the  horse-buyer. 

I  had  seen  many  men  killed  and  maimed  in 
battle,  but  that  was  in  the  open  air,  with  the  sky 
above  and  the  fever  of  conflict  rioting  in  my  veins, 
and  with  life  and  motion  as  well  as  death  every 
where  about.  Here  I  was  alone,  in  darkness  as 
absolute  and  stillness  as  complete  as  that  of  the 


The  End  of  the  Horse-Buyer     215 

grave,  and  shut  off  from  everything  human  save 
that  ghastly  hand,  which  seemed  to  reach  out  to 
me  for  help  that  I  could  not  give. 

What  wonder  then,  that,  strong  as  I  was,  and 
brave  as  I  held  myself  to  be,  for  a  little  time  I 
was  like  one  undone.  But  at  last  I  pulled  myself 
together  and  set  to  work  to  determine  the  extent 
of  my  difficulties.  It  was  not  worth  while  to  make 
further  investigation  where  I  was.  If  there  was 
another  way  by  which  I  could  regain  the  outer 
world,  it  must  be  found  before  death  or  madness 
robbed  me  of  the  power  of  trying. 

Feeling  around,  my  hand  came  into  contact 
with  a  large  tuft  of  dry  grass  that  had  fallen  from 
the  surface.  Applying  a  match  to  this,  a  light 
was  made  that  revealed  a  slightly  arching  roof 
eight  or  ten  feet  above  my  head  and  extending 
out  over  the  blackness  below.  The  incline  I 
judged  to  be  as  much  as  twenty  feet  wide,  with 
natural  stone  walls  on  each  side. 

What  surprised  me  greatly,  at  the  same  time 
giving  me  a  feeling  of  hope,  was  to  see,  next  to 
the  wall  on  my  right,  a  regular  flight  of  steps 
leading  downward,  and  apparently  cut  into  the 
solid  rock.  Moving  nearer,  my  astonishment  was 
increased,  for  this  could  be  no  accidental  stair 
way.  It  was  designed  by  human  brains  and 
worked  out  by  human  hands.  But  when  were 
these  brains  active  and  when  had  these  hands 
chiseled  and  wrought?  Everything  served  to 


216  The  Legionaries 

show  that  it  must  have  been  ages  upon  ages  be 
fore. 

The  steps  were  worn  as  if  by  the  long-contin 
ued  passage  of  feet  through  unnumbered  centu 
ries,  and  the  wall,  at  the  height  of  four  or  five  feet 
from  each  step,  was  smooth,  as  if  here  human 
hands  had  been  put  to  steady  the  descent  of  those 
who  had  made  use  of  the  regions  below.  Either 
the  stairway  had  been  used  moderately  for  thou 
sands  of  years,  or  else  mighty  and  unremittent 
hosts  for  a  lesser  period  had  gone  down  this  stony 
way  and  up  again. 

I  had  barely  time  to  observe  these  things — 
which  I  did  in  a  small  fraction  of  the  time  taken 
to  relate  them — when  the  grass  burned  out  to 
the  last  root  and  left  me  again  in  the  darkness. 
Following  the  steps  downward,  counting  them  as 
I  went,  and  steadying  myself  against  the  wall,  I  at 
last  reached  the  level  bottom  where  I  had  stood 
before.  There  were  eighty-six  steps,  each  of 
them  apparently  nearly  a  foot  high,  but  the  de 
clination  was  so  gradual  as  to  make  my  descent 
comparatively  easy. 

What  was  now  before  me  ?  What  lay  beyond 
this  silent  pall  that  covered  me?  I  struck  a 
match  and  held  it  out  at  arm's  length  when  I 
had  reached  what,  to  the  touch  of  my  feet,  ap 
peared  to  be  the  end  of  the  flight.  Tbe  wall 
against  which  I  stood  terminated  a  few  feet 
further  on,  but,  except  that  and  the  smooth 


The  End  of  the  Horse-Buyer     217 

ground  extending  about  me,  the  feeble  rays  dis 
closed  nothing.  If  I  could  not  find  a  substantial 
light  I  might  as  well  stay  where  I  was  and  let 
that  be  the  end  of  it.  What  had  the  former  oc 
cupants  used  ?  In  the  hope  that  they  might  have 
left  behind  something  that  would  serve  me,  I 
moved  to  the  edge  of  the  wall  and  lighted  another 
match,  holding  it  toward  the  floor. 

To  my  inexpressible  joy  I  saw  a  heap  of 
twisted  canes  a  yard  or  so  beyond  the  angle  of 
the  wall,  and  near  by  were  some  bunches  which 
were  partly  burned  at  one  end,  showing  the  use 
to  which  they  had  been  put.  Picking  up  one  of 
these  I  soon  had  a  brilliant  blaze  that  illumined 
the  cavern  for  many  yards  in  all  directions.  The 
first  thing  I  did  was  to  examine  my  treasure, 
which  just  then  was  greater  to  me  than  tons  of 
gold. 

Each  torch  was  about  three  feet  long,  and  the 
sticks  of  cane  of  which  it  was  composed  were  so 
wrapped  and  twisted  together  as  to  best  fit  them 
for  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  designed.  I 
observed  that  the  torch  in  my  hand,  while  giving 
a  fine  light,  was  consumed  very  slowly.  I  had 
never  seen  this  species  of  cane,  which  was 
strongly  resinous,  and  concluded  that,  like  those 
who  had  brought  it  here,  it  was  extinct  in  the 
locality,  or,  what  was  more  likely,  that  it  had 
been  transported  from  another,  and  probably  far 
distant  place. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THROUGH   THE    TUNNELS 

WITH  a  torch  in  each  hand  and  another  one 
lighted  and  left  propped  against  the  wall  near  the 
stairway,  I  started  to  explore  my  immediate  sur 
roundings.  The  floor  on  which  I  trod  was  hard 
and  smooth ;  the  roof  was  at  least  seventy  feet 
above  me,  and  the  chamber  itself,  almost  circular 
in  form,  was  more  than  one  hundred  yards  in 
diameter.  The  air  was  cool  and  pure. 

So  vast  were  the  proportions  of  the  room  that, 
if  it  had  been  under  the  hills  of  Granada,  it  might, 
according  to  Moorish  legend,  have  held  Boabdil 
and  his  sleeping  host.  And  what  of  those  other 
mighty  throngs  who  had  filled  it  with  life  and 
sound?  From  whence  had  they  come  and  whither 
had  they  departed  ?  What  scenes  had  these  som 
ber  and  voiceless  walls  witnessed,  what  sounds 
had  broken  upon  this  eternal  and  earless  rock? 
To  what  tongue  had  the  encry stalled  dome  given 
echo? 

In  what  seemed  to  be  the  exact  center  of  the 
chamber  stood  an  immense  earthenware  cauldron, 
or  bowl,  at  least  ten  feet  high  and  twelve  across  at 
(218) 


Through  the  Tunnels         219 

the  top  and  flat  on  the  floor.  On  the  side  toward 
the  entrance  was  a  series  of  stone  steps  reaching 
to  within  three  feet  of  its  rim.  Going  up  the 
steps  I  found  that  it  was  covered  with  a  lid  that 
fitted  tightly  into  the  wide,  grooved  inner  edge 
of  its  rim.  The  lid  was  rounded  and  elevated 
in  the  middle.  What  was  within  this  tremen 
dous  utensil?  What  secret  was  here  held  and 
guarded?  Unmindful  for  the  moment  that  I  was 
apparently  entombed  in  a  more  colossal  recepta 
cle,  of  somewhat  similar  but  vastly  more  durable 
structure,  I  forgot  my  peril  and  became  eager 
to  see  what  had  been  here  so  carefully  hidden. 

An  inspection  of  the  lid  disclosed  a  series  of 
rings  running  around  it,  beginning  a  foot  from 
the  edge  and  maintaining  that  distance  apart  to 
the  top.  Looking  closely  at  these  marks,  I  saw 
that  the  covering  of  the  bowl  was  not  made  in 
one  piece,  as  had  at  first  seemed  to  be  the  fact, 
but  in  many  circular  pieces,  fitting  snugly  into 
each  other  and  set  in  cement  that  crumbled  un 
der  the  blade  of  my  pocket  knife.  The  piece 
capping  the  center  of  the  lid  was  about  two  feet 
in  diameter,  and  if  it  should  be  removed  the  in 
side  of  the  vessel  would  be  at  the  mercy  of  my 
eyes. 

Drawing  myself  up,  I  crawled  on  my  hands 
and  knees  to  the  rounded,  knob-like  apex,  which 
gave  me  leverage.  Laying  aside  my  torches,  I 
took  hold  of  the  knob  with  both  hands,  and  ex- 


220  The  Legionaries 

erting  all  of  my  strength  succeeded  in  raising  it  a 
little.  Resting  a  few  minutes,  I  tried  again  and 
this  time  lifted  the  center  piece  from  the  groove 
in  which  it  was  set,  and  moved  it  aside. 

For  a  while  I  lacked  the  courage  to  look  into 
the  blackness  below,  but  not  long  did  I  hesitate. 
Taking  up  the  torches,  I  leaned  over  and  thrust 
one  of  them  through  the  opening  and  there  held 
it.  The  whole  of  the  interior  was  lighted  up  and 
a  low,  involuntary  ejaculation  of  amazement  es 
caped  me  as  the  golden  mass,  heaped  almost  to 
my  hand,  glittered  in  the  flickering  torch -light. 

Withdrawing  the  torch,  I  thrust  in  my  hand 
and  pulled  it  out  full  of  the  perfect,  shelled 
grains  of  maize,  as  fresh  apparently  as  when  first 
stored  in  that  secure  granary.  Here,  no  doubt, 
was  kept  the  seed  corn  of  that  far-back  people 
who  had  frequented  this  mighty  chamber.  About 
it  they  had  held  their  harvest  festivals  and  dances. 
With  what  shouts  and  laughter  had  each  hus 
bandman  climbed  to  the  top  and  poured  in  or 
taken  out  his  allotted  share  in  harvest  and  seed 
time !  Or  if  this  conjecture  be  not  admitted, 
was  it  here,  in  this  natural  temple,  that,  driven 
to  some  sudden  migration,  they  had  deposited 
and  secured  this  grain  with  the  hope  of  some  day 
returning  to  reclaim  it  and  take  up  again  their 
agricultural  pursuits?  What  language  did  they 
speak,  of  what  appearance  were  they  in  form  and 
face,  after  what  pattern  was  their  dress  fashioned? 


Through  the  Tunnels         221 

It  does  not  matter ;  they  were  of  peaceful  and 
simple  pursuits,  and  reckoned  these  yellow  grains 
as  more  precious  than  gold.  Whence  did  they 
go  on  that  last  journey?  What  transpired  to  de 
tain  them?  Whither  did  they  finally  vanish? 

Though  it  involved  some  expenditure  of 
strength,  of  which  I  might  have  need  before  I 
was  freed  from  my  extraordinary  imprisonment — 
if,  indeed,  I  should  be  so  fortunate  as  to  attain 
that  result — I  replaced  the  section  of  the  lid  that 
I  had  removed.  A  great  respect  for  the  strange 
people  whose  treasure  this  had  been  possessed 
me,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  a  neglect  to  do  this 
simple  thing  would  have  been  a  species  of  sac 
rilege. 

Regaining  the  floor  of  the  cavern  I  looked  at 
my  watch  and  found  that  it  was  past  ten  o'clock. 
I  took  the  precaution  to  wind  the  time-piece  be 
fore  putting  it  back  into  my  pocket,  though  day 
and  night  were  the  same  here,  and  the  hours 
ticked  off  by  it  were  frivolous  things  compared 
with  the  thousands  of  years  marked  by  the  great 
urn  beside  me. 

Determined  to  waste  no  more  time,  I  began  to 
make  a  diligent  search  of  the  walls  for  an  open 
ing.  I  knew  enough  about  caves  in  such  for 
mations  as  were  here  shown  to  think  that  this 
immense  chamber  was  probably  connected  with 
others,  though  it  was  inconceivable  that  I  should 
find  another  so  vast.  The  only  known  entrance 


222  The  Legionaries 

to  the  now  celebrated  Wyandotte  cave,  then  but 
little  explored  but  since  shown  to  be  of  wonderful 
extent  and  beauty,  was  seven  miles  away.  If 
there  should  be  connection  between  the  two  I 
might  be  able  to  make  my  way  out,  even  if  no 
other  opening  should  be  found. 

Beginning  at  the  stairway,  I  followed  the  wall 
without  result  until  I  came  to  a  point  almost  op 
posite,  where  there  was  a  break  in  the  limestone 
several  feet  wide.  From  here  a  passage  led. 
Without  stopping  then  to  investigate  its  character, 
I  went  on  until  the  circumference  of  the  room  was 
completed  and  discovered  no  other.  Then  select 
ing  from  the  heap  of  torches  as  many  as  I  could 
conveniently  carry,  I  made  them  into  a  bundle 
and  tied  them  with  one  of  my  suspenders.  Thus 
equipped,  I  started  on  a  pilgrimage  the  end  of 
which  could  not  even  be  guessed. 

Crossing  the  cavern  floor,  past  the  great  lidded 
bowl,  I  found  the  passage  on  the  other  side  and 
plunged  into  it.  Its  floor  was  smooth  and  hard 
like  that  of  the  great  chamber,  and,  like  it,  bore 
testimony  to  the  wear  and  pressure  of  human 
feet.  For  a  distance  that  I  judged  to  be  a  fur 
long  or  more  it  ran  straight  and  true,  but  widened 
a  little.  Here  it  opened  into  another  chamber 
almost  as  large  as  the  one  I  had  quitted. 

It  was  empty,  save  that  in  the  center  there 
stood  what  appeared  to  be  an  altar  made  of 
blocks  of  stone.  Ashes  were  upon  its  top,  and  to- 


Through  the  Tunnels         223 

ward  the  margins  were  pieces  of  wood,  with  char 
red  ends.  What  kind  of  rites  were  here  observed? 
Were  human  beings  sacrificed  here  to  propitiate 
some  unknown  god?  Were  captured  enemies 
slain  here  to  celebrate  a  victory  or  to  avenge  a 
wrong?  Was  it  here  that  the  transgressor  was 
brought  to  expiate  his  sins  in  the  flame  ?  Or  was 
this  merely  a  place  to  which  the  innocent  dead 
were  brought  for  sacred  incremation?  Raking  in 
the  ashes  with  one  of  the  sticks,  I  discovered 
nothing  that  would  throw  any  light  on  these  in 
quiries.  At  the  side  of  this  chamber,  at  the 
mouth  of  what  seemed  to  be  a  passage-way,  but 
which  proved  to  be  a  small,  natural  chamber, 
was  a  quantity  of  wood.  Some  distance  from 
this  was  another  small  chamber,  a  trifle  larger 
than  the  first,  which  might  have  been  a  retiring 
room  for  the  priests. 

Only  a  few  minutes  were  devoted  by  me  to 
these  things;  a  few  more  spent  in  examining 
the  walls  of  the  main  chamber  showed  that  there 
were  two  passages  close  together  running  from 
it.  Choosing  the  larger  one  at  a  hazard,  I  pur 
sued  my  way.  This  passage  wound  in  and  out, 
and  in  places  was  a  mere  tortuous  path,  scarcely 
large  enough  to  give  walking  room. 

For  an  hour  I  stumbled  through  it,  and  at  last, 
tired  and  covered  with  a  cold  perspiration,  came 
out  into  an  immense  arcade  of  great  height  and 
unknown  length.  A  roaring  sound,  somewhat 


224  The  Legionaries 

resembling  continuous  thunder  subdued  by  dis 
tance,  greeted  my  ears. 

As  I  went  along  I  saw  the  bed  of  an  ancient 
water-course,  its  bottom  covered  with  fine  yellow 
sand.  The  worn  surfaces  of  its  sides  showed  that 
at  one  time  a  considerable  stream  had  flowed  be 
tween  them,  but  they  were  now  entirely  dry. 
The  sight  reminded  me  that  I  was  thirsty  and  I 
pushed  on,  following  the  bank.  The  roaring 
sound  increased  as  I  advanced.  In  that  subter 
ranean  depth  the  noise,  rapidly  becoming  more 
distinctly  thunderous,  was  less  terrifying  than  the 
awful  stillness  through  which  I  had  thus  far  jour 
neyed  . 

I  had  probably  walked  almost  a  mile  along  the 
margin  of  the  vanished  river  when  something 
white  and  high  flashed  in  the  rays  of  my  torch. 
It  was  water  tumbling  over  a  ledge  fifty  feet  above 
where  I  stood.  Going  as  near  as  I  dared  I  saw 
that  the  stream  fell  into  a  seething  pit  far  below, 
where  it  bubbled  and  foamed  and  hissed  before 
disappearing  into  still  lower  depths. 

The  falling  water  had  seemingly  broken  through 
its  original  bed  and  found  here  a  new  and  sub- 
cavernous  channel.  With  some  difficulty  and 
danger  I  got  into  a  position  where  I  could  reach 
the  edge  of  the  pouring  torrent.  Removing  my 
hat  I  held  it  out  to  catch  some  of  the  water,  but 
as  it  came  before  my  eyes  it  dropped  from  my 
relaxing  fingers  into  the  hammering  flood  beneath. 


Through  the  Tunnels         225 

The  hat  was  not  mine;  it  was  the  dead  horse- 
buyer's.  I  drew  back  for  a  moment  to  steady 
myself,  but  quickly  recovering  from  the  shock,  I 
laid  my  torch  on  the  rock,  and,  making  a  cup  of 
my  two  hands,  drank  my  fill  of  the  cold  water. 

Then  I  did  something  extraordinary.  I  had 
for  hours  felt  a  desire  to  speak,  but  that  echo, 
which,  when  I  had  called  Spelker,  sent  the  lat- 
ter's  name  back  to  me  with  horrible  iteration, 
had  restrained  all  succeeding  impulses  to  use  my 
voice.  Now,  however,  the  thunder  of  this  water 
fall  in  my  ears,  I  opened  my  mouth  and  shouted 
and  sang.  Not  a  word  of  it  all  did  I  hear,  but 
that  made  no  difference ;  if  I  had  heard,  I  would 
not  have  sung  or  shouted. 

Greatly  refreshed,  and  with  a  sense  of  relief  in 
conceivable  to  one  in  any  other  situation,  I  moved 
away  from  the  fall  and  turned  my  attention  to 
my  further  progress,  which  might  end  in  freedom 
or  in  a  still  more  obscure  tomb  in  far  distant  re 
cesses.  I  did  not  suffer  myself  to  think  of  the 
latter  alternative,  but  in  spite  of  my  will  that  re 
sult  forced  itself  into  my  mind  from  time  to  time 
as  the  more  probable.  My  only  hope  was  that  I 
had  so  far  followed  unexplored  portions  of  the 
Wyandotte  cave,  and  that  I  should  be  able  to  find 
the  mouth  of  the  latter  or  possibly  some  hitherto 
undiscovered  exit.  It  was  not  possible  to  do  more 
than  conjecture  as  to  the  direction  in  which  I  had 
15 — LEGIONARIES. 


226  The  Legionaries 

traveled.  At  the  start  I  felt  faintly  assured  that  I 
was  going  northward,  but  after  leaving  the  place 
of  the  altar  I  had  completely  abandoned  even 
that  uncertain  consolation. 

Looking  about  me,  I  saw  that  the  arcade  ended 
abruptly  against  the  high  masses  of  stone  over 
which  the  stream  dashed  into  the  abyss.  My 
eyes  finally  fell  on  what  appeared  to  be  a  mere 
cleft  in  the  rock  in  the  angle  of  the  two  walls. 
For  a  time  I  hesitated  whether  to  venture  into  it 
or  to  go  back  and  search  for  some  other  opening, 
many  of  which  might  have  been  passed  without 
observation  while  following  the  dry  water-course. 

Casting  doubt  aside  I  stepped  into  the  cleft. 
At  the  point  of  entrance  it  was  hardly  three  feet 
wide,  and  its  rough  walls  seemed  to  crowd  me  and 
throw  me  from  one  to  the  other  in  a  grim  game 
of  battledore,  myself  as  the  human  shuttlecock. 
I  had  felt  the  same  sensation  in  other  places  and 
was  now  a  little  used  to  it;  nevertheless,  I  was 
disturbed  when  the  fissure  began  to  narrow.  Pres 
ently  I  came  to  a  place  where,  standing  still  to 
test  its  width,  my  shoulders  touched  both  walls. 
From  here  on  I  was  forced  to  move  sideways, 
dragging  my  bunch  of  torches  behind  me,  and 
progress  was  slow  and  infinitely  tiring.  I  had 
not  eaten  nor  slept — for  how  long  I  did  not  dare 
to  think — and  had  passed  through  experiences 
which  would  have  been  trying  enough  to  a  man 
fresh  and  unwearied. 


Through  the  Tunnels         227 

And  what  wonder  is  it  that  I  felt  my  strength 
leaving  me  and  that  something  between  terror  and 
despair  possessed  me  ?  I  could  not  sit  down  and 
rest;  if  I  should  lie  down  in  this  terrible  place  I 
might  never  rise ;  if  I  should  go  back  I  might 
not  find  another  passage  save  that  by  which  I  had 
entered  the  great  arcade.  I  must  go  on  while  it 
were  possible.  After  a  while  the  passage  again 
ended  abruptly  against  the  solid  rock.  Moving 
back  a  little  way,  I  threw  my  light  up  and  down  the 
face  of  the  obstruction  and  found  that  it  did  not  ex 
tend  entirely  to  the  ground.  At  the  bottom  the 
passage  continued  its  way  but  was  reduced  in 
height  to  three  feet. 

Lifting  the  bundle  of  unused  torches  over  my 
head,  I  brought  it  in  front  and  kicked  it  with  my 
foot  into  the  opening;  then  throwing  myself  at 
full  length  on  the  bottom,  I  poked  my  light  into 
the  hole  and  dragged  my  body  after  it.  I  pro 
ceeded  thus  probably  twenty  feet,  when,  upon 
pushing  the  bundle  ahead  of  me,  it  suddenly  left 
my  hand  and  fell  from  sight,  making  a  loud,  hol 
low,  clattering  noise  as  it  came  in  contact  with 
some  obstruction  below. 

The  character  of  the  noise  indicated  that 
another  chamber  had  been  reached,  and  my  feel 
ings  underwent  a  sudden  and  agreeable  revulsion. 
Quickly  drawing  myself  to  the  verge  over  which 
the  torches  fell,  a  sight  greeted  my  eyes  that  for 
a  while  made  me  doubt  my  senses.  I  was  look- 


228  The  Legionaries 

ing  into  what  seemed  to  be  thickly  falling  snow. 
The  air  was  filled  with  glittering  flakes,  and  if  the 
time  had  been  in  winter  instead  of  in  the  hot 
month  of  July,  I  would  have  believed  that  I  had 
at  last  reached  the  outer  world,  and  would  have 
shouted  for  joy. 

But  what  was  this  ghostly  stuff  that  came  down 
from  an  unknown  firmament,  filling  the  gloom 
with  its  grace  and  beauty?  Pulling  one  of  the 
sticks  of  cane  out  of  my  torch  I  dropped  it,  all 
aflame,  below  me.  It  lit  up  the  ground,  which 
was  not- more  than  six  feet  distant,  and  I  followed 
it  with  my  body.  I  felt  that  I  could  breathe 
again,  for  here  at  least  was  room,  and  I  sat  down 
on  the  bundle  to  rest. 

The  spectral  snow  was  still  falling,  but  in  les 
sened  quantity,  and  putting  out  my  hand  I  gath 
ered  some  of  the  flakes  in  my  palm.  They  were 
only  crystals  of  the  sulphate  of  magnesia,  which 
the  concussion  of  the  air  produced  by  the  falling 
canes  had  shaken  from  the  drifts  with  which  the 
ceiling  of  the  chamber  was  covered.  The  room, 
I  discovered,  when,  having  rested  a  few  minutes, 
I  had  explored  it,  was  not  more  than  a  hundred 
feet  long  by  fifty  or  sixty  wide,  but  it  was  of 
wonderful  beauty.  It  was  a  veritable  crystalline 
garden,  and  the  cave  flowers,  in  clusters,  in  gar 
lands  and  rosettes,  with  which  it  was  so  lavishly 
adorned,  gleamed  and  flashed  on  every  hand. 

A  wide,  arched  avenue  led  from  this  chamber 


Through  the  Tunnels         229 

into  another  two  or  three  furlongs  away,  more 
irregular  in  outline  but  larger  and  more  lofty.  Its 
dome  was  supported  by  massive  columns.  Mag 
nificent  stalactites  hung  from  its  ceiling  and  draped 
its  walls  with  fantastic  tapestry.  This  chamber 
was  only  one  of  many  of  varying  shapes  and  pro 
portions  which,  within  the  ensuing  hours,  passed 
in  review  before  my  wearied  but  observant  eyes. 
Enormous  stalactites,  like  great  cones  of  ice, 
made  resplendent  the  vaulted  roofs;  gigantic 
stalagmites  stood  about,  like  cyclopean  sentinels, 
all  adrip ;  efflorescent  crystals  and  pillars  of  ala 
baster  flashed  across  my  vision  until  I  was  sur 
feited  even  with  their  surpassing  beauty. 

During  this  portion  of  my  journey  I  found  lit 
tle  difficulty  in  threading  the  passages  that  opened 
out  before  me.  They  were  so  numerous  that  my 
only  trouble  was  in  choosing  between  them,  and 
this  I  did,  of  necessity,  at  a  venture,  trusting  to 
providence  to  guide  my  aching  feet. 

At  last  I  came  to  a  room  of  considerable  size 
from  which  led  a  solitary  passage.  I  had  fol 
lowed  this  for  a  distance  that  I  judged  to  be  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  when  I  observed  that  it  was 
tending  downward.  The  fall  at  first  was  slight, 
but  it  gradually  became  more  and  more  slop 
ing  as  I  advanced.  After  awhile  I  got  to  a  point 
where  the  fissure — for  such  it  seemed  to  be — sud 
denly  widened. 

Before  I  could  scrutinize  my  surroundings  my 


230  The  Legionaries 

feet  slipped  from  under  me  and  I  slid  down  a 
smooth  incline,  fetching  up  against  a  dry  wall 
at  the  bottom.  No  harm  was  done  by  the  1m- 
premeditated  coasting,  but  I  was  alarmed  on 
noticing  that  the  fissure  ended  there.  ^yjX&e 
side  there  was  a  well-like  opening  above*  me ; 
with  that  exception  there  was  no  exit  save  that 
by  which  I  had  come.  Reasoning  that  as  the 
other  chambers  through  which  I  had  passed  were 
seemingly  on  the  same  level  the  shaft  might  lead 
to  another,  I  examined  its  walls  and  determined 
that  it  was  possible  to  climb  them.  The  hole  was 
less  than  a  yard  in  diameter  and  numerous  pro 
jecting  stones  furnished  tolerable  footholds. 

Stringing  my  bundle  of  torches — now  consid 
erably  reduced  in  size — on  my  back,  I  began  the 
ascent.  I  made  even  better  headway  than  I  had 
at  first  thought  possible,  for  the  shaft  soon  be 
came  spiral,  thus  lessening  the  danger  in  falling  if 
I  should  lose  my  hold.  To  a  man  fresh  and  vig 
orous  from  rest  and  refreshment  the  work  would 
have  been  laborious ;  to  me  it  was  a  struggle.  To 
ward  what  proved  to  be  the  end,  the  shaft  again 
became  vertical  and  narrowed  to  a  mere  crack 
where  the  stones  had  been  wrenched  asunder  in 
some  mighty  convulsion.  I  had  to  cast  about  for 
openings  large  enough  to  admit  my  body,  and 
picked  my  way  through  spear-like  points  that 
tore  my  clothes  and  flesh. 

All  things  must  end,  and  this  painful  experi- 


Through  the  Tunnels         231 

ence  was  no  exception  to  the  rule.  After  many 
minutes  of  alternate  climbing,  creeping  and  rest 
ing,  I  got  to  a  place  where  there  were  no  more 
stony  teeth  to  pierce  me  and  no  walls  within 
the  reach  of  my  hands.  Throwing  myself  over 
the  brink  of  this  terrible  crevice,  I  lay  panting 
and  exhausted  on  the  cool  floor  of  a  room  so 
small  that,  from  where  I  lay,  the  whole  of  it  was 
lighted  by  the  single  torch  in  my  hand.  It  was,  in 
truth,  but  the  mere  widening  of  a  passage,  along 
the  arching  roof  of  which,  ten  feet  above  my 
head,  ran  a  continuation  of  the  fissure  through 
which  I  had  just  passed. 

For  a  long  time  I  rested  thus,  and  then,  pur 
suing  my  way  and  making  many  turnings  in 
and  out,  and  up  and  down,  and  at  last  crawling 
through  a  hole  barely  large  enough  to  allow  me 
to  proceed,  I  presently  emerged  into  a  part  of 
the  cavern  where  the  dome-like  roof  lifted  up,  and 
up,  to  a  height  far  beyond  the  reach  of  the  rays  of 
the  fresh  torch  that  I  brought  into  use. 

But  what  was  this  mountainous  mass  piercing 
the  blackness  above  me?  I  began  to  shake  as 
with  a  fit  of  the  ague,  and  tremblingly,  and  with 
a  haste  born  of  a  sudden  great  hope,  I  detached 
and  lighted  another  torch  from  my  bundle  and 
held  the  two  aloft  in  my  unsteady  hands. 

"Thank  God!"  I  cried  aloud. 

It  was  the  first  time  I  had  spoken  since  I  sat 
beside  the  falling  river.  A  subterranean  moun- 


232  The  Legionaries 

tain  towered  above  to  a  height  of  nearly  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  feet,  and  yet  I  knew  that  the  dome 
of  this  immense  chamber  was  still  fifty  feet  above 
that.  I  was  in  a  known  part  of  the  great  cavern 
at  last,  and  stood  beside  the  solemn  walls  of  the 
"Cathedral,"  where  I  had  stood  on  a  former  oc 
casion.  Whereas  I  had  begun  my  underground 
pilgrimage  seven  miles  in  a  straight  line  to  the 
south  of  the  entrance  to  this  stupendous  tunnel,  I 
was  now  more  than  a  mile  to  the  north  of  it.  But 
what  an  immeasurably  greater  distance  had  I  trav 
eled  !  From  here  onward  I  knew  the  way,  and 
could  follow  it  at  my  leisure. 

The  great  strain  that  my  situation  had  put 
upon  me  relaxed,  and  I  felt  the  weakness  that  my 
exertions  and  the  lack  of  food  and  sleep  had  pro 
duced.  Putting  my  hand  in  my  pocket  for  my 
watch  to  ascertain  the  time,  I  found  that  it  was 
gone.  Ah,  well,  that  was  a  trifle  now.  I  would 
rest  a  little  and  then  go  on.  Seeking  a  spot  near 
the  cavern  wall,  I  lay  down  and  slept. 


CHAPTER  XV 

A   DISCREDITED    SPY 

I  WAS  awakened  by  something  striking  me 
sharply  on  the  face,  and  sat  up,  startled  and  alert. 
The  light  had  burned  out  and  I  was  in  total  dark 
ness.  A  great  whirring  sound  filled  the  impene 
trable  gloom,  and,  as  I  listened,  the  near  flutter  of 
wings  and  little  fanning  puffs  of  air  told  of  the 
zig-zag  flight  of  the  cave  bats.  I  felt  that  I  had 
slept  an  hour,  but  it  might  have  been  much  more 
or  less  than  that.  So  accustomed  had  I  become 
to  irregular  hours  since  being  in  the  field  that  a 
little  sleep  sufficed  to  refresh  me.  Excepting  an 
uncomfortable  hunger,  and  a  stiffness  caused  by 
my  bruises,  I  felt  that  I  was  none  the  worse  for 
my  extraordinary  adventures. 

While  preparing  to  light  a  fresh  torch,  my  at 
tention  was  attracted  by  a  perpendicular  streak 
of  light  that  suddenly  flashed  upon  the  side  of 
the  great  underground  mountain.  Once  there, 
it  remained  stationary,  save  for  a  faintly  vibrating 
motion  observable  at  its  edges.  I  watched  it  for 
several  minutes,  and  then  saw  it  rapidly  widen 
and  disappear  in  a  general  glow  that  filled  the 
(233) 


234  The  Legionaries 

part  of  the  cavern  on  that  side  of  the  mountain 
with  a  misty  yellow  light. 

Turning  my  head,  I  saw  through  the  mist,  at  a 
height  of  twenty  feet  or  more  up  the  cavern's 
wall,  a  powerful  lantern,  which  was  at  once  the 
cause  and  the  center  of  the  display.  The  lantern 
was  held  in  a  man's  hand,  and  the  man,  standing 
in  a  crevice  in  the  wall  which  was  barely  wide 
enough  to  give  him  room,  was  talking  with  some 
body  behind  him. 

They  were  too  far  away  for  me  to  understand 
what  was  said ;  but  presently  a  ladder  was  pushed 
through  edgewise  and  lowered  to  the  ground,  and 
the  man  with  the  lantern  came  down.  He  then 
turned  the  light  upon  the  ladder,  and  a  second 
man  descended ;  then  another  followed  and  three 
stood  on  the  floor.  Not  one  of  them  had  spoken 
since  the  ladder  was  lowered.  But  these  were 
clearly  not  all  who  were  expected,  for  the  light 
still  rested  on  the  ladder  and  the  three  men 
were  looking  upward  toward  the  opening.  There 
seemed  to  be  a  commotion  up  there  and  angry 
voices,  in  the  midst  of  which  could  be  distin 
guished  another  voice  lifted  up  apparently  in  ap 
peal. 

Finally  a  man  was  pushed  out  and  began  to 
back  down  the  rungs  of  the  ladder;  a  rope  was 
around  his  neck  and  the  rope  reached  up  to  the 
hands  of  a  stalwart  fellow  standing  in  the  mouth 
of  the  crevice,  who  was  paying  it  out  as  the  other 


A  Discredited  Spy  235 

descended.  When  the  latter  reached  the  ground 
the  rope  was  thrown  to  one  of  the  three  who  stood 
ready  to  receive  it. 

Other  men  bearing  lanterns  then  came  down — 
how  many  I  did  not  know,  my  eyes  being  upon 
the  prisoner.  That  he  was  a  prisoner  had  been 
already  shown ;  but  the  binding  of  his  hands  be 
hind  his  back,  which  two  of  the  men  now  pro 
ceeded  to  do,  removed  any  possible  doubt.  When 
all  had  descended,  the  party  moved  to  the  other 
side  of  the  cavern  behind  the  mountain.  I  fol 
lowed  and  secured  a  position  where,  without  be 
ing  myself  in  danger  of  discovery,  I  could  both 
see  and  hear  what  was  going  on. 

The  prisoner  was  seated  on  a  fallen  stalactite 
near  the  wall,  partly  in  the  shadow,  but  soon  one 
of  the  lights  was  shifted  so  that  its  rays  fell  upon 
his  face.  I  started  on  seeing  the  pale  counte 
nance  of  Dallas  Vawter  as  he  looked  in  a  dull 
and  hopeless  way  about  him,  first  at  one  man 
and  then  at  another,  as  if  trying  to  read  the  fate 
in  store  for  him.  Two  of  the  men  had  drawn  a 
little  apart  from  the  others  and  were  holding  a 
whispered  conversation. 

All  of  the  men  whose  faces  I  could  see  were 
unknown  to  me,  but  the  two  leaders  I  afterward 
knew  to  be  Griswold  and  Wysart,  who,  with  the  oth 
ers  now  about  them,  were  members  of  one  of  the 
numerous  companies  that  the  exigencies  of  their 
border  location  had  brought  together  for  defense 


236  The  Legionaries 

against  marauding  bands  of  outside  foes ;  also,  as  it 
appeared,  for  protection  against  any  possible  up 
rising  at  home,  rumors  of  which  had  been  widely 
circulated.  Where  had  they  found  Vawter  and 
why  had  they  brought  him  here?  The  conversa 
tion  between  the  two  men  was  not  prolonged  and 
presently  they  went  back  to  the  group  around 
the  prisoner.  The  latter  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"Oak-oun,"  he  said,  and  repeated  it  twice 
in  a  sort  of  refrain,  as  if  bewailing  an  unhappy 
lot,  while  his  eyes  were  busy  searching  the  coun 
tenances  before  him. 

The  men  stared  at  him  contemptuously  as  at 
a  whimpering  coward,  all  except  one,  who, 
standing  farthest  back  and  unobserved  by  his 
companions,  suddenly  placed  one  hand  on  his 
breast  and  lifted  the  other  straight  in  the  air, 
as  quickly  lowering  it,  at  the  same  time  giving  a 
warning  motion  of  his  head.  That  some  sort  of 
understanding  was  thereby  established  between 
the  two  I  did  not  doubt.  Vawter's  manner  at 
once  seemed  to  change. 

"I  hope  you  have  agreed  on  something  pleas 
ant,"  he  said,  addressing  Griswold  in  a  tone  of 
now  sneering  bravado.  "Make  an  end  of  it;  you 
have  brought  me  to  this  pit  of  hell,  now  do  your 
devil's  work  and  do  it  quickly.  I  have  begged 
all  I  shall." 

"We  have  plenty  of  time,"  Griswold  returned, 
in  a  voice  as  grim  and  cold  as  the  rock  about 


A  Discredited  Spy  237 

him.  "We  are  not  sure  that  we  may  not  give 
you  a  chance  after  all.  I  don't  promise  it,  and 
do  not  say  what  kind;  it  depends  on  you." 

"Perhaps,"  said  Vawter,  with  a  grimace,  "you 
will  allow  me  a  choice  between  strangulation  and 
a  broken  neck." 

Griswold  looked  at  him  for  a  moment  before 
answering.  "It  is  not  exactly  that;  it  is  a  choice 
between  certain  death  and  a  chance  to  live." 

"Well,  go  on;    I  am  listening." 

"You  have  been  in  this  country  north  of  the 
river  for  two  months — just  hanging  around  with 
no  business  that  we  could  see.  A  good  many 
times  you've  gone  to  Roger  Bellray's  house, 
and  Sumber's  and  Fisher's  and  others  of  their 
kind.  From  your  conduct  we  thought  you  were 
a  government  agent  gathering  proofs  against  sus 
pects.  While  some  of  us  didn't  believe  in  that 
way  of  trapping  a  man,  we  likewise  did  not  see 
fit  to  meddle  with  the  government's  business.  To 
day  you  were  seen  among  Morgan's  men  as  bold 
as  brass  and  as  insolent  as  any  swashbuckling 
thief  among  his  three  thousand." 

As  Vawter  listened,  his  face  took  on  a  variety 
of  expressions — surprise,  amusement,  hope,  the 
first  mentioned  being  given  emphasis  by  a  lifting 
of  the  head,  a  half-open  mouth  and  a  questioning 
look  in  his  eyes.  If  he  were  acting  he  did  it  very 
well. 


238  The  Legionaries 

"What  are  you  driving  at?"  he  asked  impa 
tiently,  as  the  other  stopped. 

'  'Just  this ;  instead  of  being  a  Unionist  agent 
you  are  a  rebel  spy,"  said  Griswold. 

"And  who  in  Satan's  name  are  you,  and  these 
— these  gentlemen?"  asked  the  prisoner. 

"We're  Unionists,  and  we've  got  mighty  tired 
of  Kentucky  spies,  horse-thieves  and  guerrillas." 

"Unionists!"  exclaimed  Vawter ;  then,  assum 
ing  an  appearance  of  indignation,  he  continued: 
"You  are  a  pretty  pack  of  patriots,  indeed;  you 
act  more  like  babies  or  fools.  Of  course  I  was 
with  Morgan's  men  to-day,  but  before  I  was  with 
them  I  was  with  Captain  Bracken — a  man  who 
knows  what  he  is  up  to,  doesn't  he?  This  is  a  fine 
turn  you  have  given  me.  Untie  my  hands." 

"Not  so  fast,"  said  Griswold,  but  looking 
doubtful,  while  the  men  about  him  began  to  talk 
among  themselves  in  an  unsettled  way.  "If  you 
are  not  a  rebel  spy,  what  are  you?" 

"I  am  what  you  first  thought  me — a  govern 
ment  agent ;  none  other  in  fact  than  one  of  Cap 
tain  Bracken's  secret  service  men,"  Vawter  said 
triumphantly,  and  then  added,  as  he  caught  the 
eyes  of  the  one  who  had  given  the  signal  looking 
at  him  suspiciously,  "oak-oun,  oak-oun."  This 
might  mean  much  or  little,  but  to  my  ears  his 
voice  had  in  it  a  ring  of  appeal  as  he  uttered  the 
word. 


A  Discredited  Spy  239 

Griswold,  as  well  as  some  of  the  rest,  was 
clearly  wavering,  but  he  asked  another  question : 

"If  you  are  what  you  claim  to  be  why  didn't 
you  say  so  before  instead  of  resisting  us  and  beg 
ging  us  not  to  kill  you?" 

"I  might  say  that  I  thought  it  prudent  not  to 
reveal  my  true  character  unless  it  became  neces 
sary  at  the  last  minute  to  save  my  life.  But  to 
tell  the  truth  I  was  not  certain  until  just  now  that 
you  were  not  Knights  of  the  Acorn.  I've  been 
pretty  thick  with  some  of  them,  and  I  was  afraid 
I  had  been  seen  reporting  to  Captain  Bracken." 

"So  you  took  us  for  copperheads?"  said  Gris 
wold  in  an  offended  tone. 

"Yes,  and  you  thought  I  was  a  spy,  guerrilla 
and  horse-thief.  I  think  I  have  most  cause  for 
offense,"  Vawter  answered,  laughing.  "Here, 
take  off  this  cursed  rope  and  I'll  forgive  your 
blundering — though  I'll  confess  you  have  given 
my  nerves  a  shock — and  if  I  can  tell  you  anything 
that  you  want  to  know,  consistently  with  my  or 
ders,  I  am  at  your  service.  Come,  untie  me." 

The  man  was  either  playing  a  bold  game,  for 
which  Griswold  had  given  him  an  opening,  or 
else  he  was  in  earnest.  I  believed  that  he  was  at 
least  partly  telling  the  truth. 

Griswold  turned  to  the  man  with  whom  he  had 
spoken  aside. 

"What  do  you  think,  Wysart?" 

"I  think  we'd  better  do  now  what  we'd  'a' 


240  The  Legionaries 

done  in  the  beginning  if  we  hadn't  been  so  sure 
of  our  game,  and  that's  search  the  man, ' '  answered 
Wysart. 

Vawter's  countenance  fell  and  in  spite  of  him 
self  he  turned  pale  again,  a  fact  that  the  men  were 
quick  to  observe. 

Wysart  thrust  his  hands  in  the  prisoner's  pock 
ets  and  in  a  little  while  brought  forth  a  piece  of 
paper,  like  a  leaf  torn  from  a  small  memorandum 
book;  holding  it  in  the  light  of  the  lanterns,  he 
looked  it  over  and  then  read  aloud  to  his  expec 
tant  companions  a  pass,  signed  by  my  General,  al 
lowing  the  bearer  to  pass  his  lines,  in  or  out,  and 
bearing  date  of  the  night  before. 

Then  turning  to  Vawter,  Wysart  said:  "Here 
is  proof  that  you  were  in  General  Morgan's  con 
fidence  ;  now  show  us  your  credentials  from  Cap 
tain  Bracken." 

"You  fools!"  cried  Vawter,  again  making  a 
pretense  of  being  very  furious.  "Do  you  sup 
pose  I  would  have  dared  to  show  myself  in  the 
raiders'  camp  with  anything  in  my  possession 
showing  my  true  character?  General  Morgan 
would  have  had  me  hanged  by  the  roadside  in  no 
time.  That  writing  proves  nothing  more  than  I 
have  already  admitted — nothing  more  than  you 
knew  before  I  admitted  anything." 

Without  saying  anything  in  return,  Wysart 
renewed  his  search  of  the  prisoner's  person  with 
greater  care  but  with  no  result.  As  he  stepped 


A  Discredited  Spy  241 

back  his  eyes  seemed  to  rest  on  the  peculiar  metal 
buttons  on  Vawter's  coat.  In  a  moment  he  had 
taken  a  knife  from  his  pocket  and  removing  the 
lower  button  began  twisting  at  it  with  the  fingers 
of  his  two  hands. 

"Ah!  What's  this?"  he  suddenly  exclaimed. 
"Seems  to  me  I've  heard  of  this  trick  before,  and 
it's  a  right  cute  one,  too." 

The  others  crowded  around  so  that  I  could  not 
see,  but  presently  I  heard  Wysart's  voice  read 
ing: 

"Headquarters,  April  15,  1863. 

"The  bearer  is  entitled  to  confidence. 

"BRAGG,  Maj.  Gen." 

' '  Do  you  still  say  that  you  are  in  the  United 
States  secret  service?"  asked  Griswold,  when  this 
damning  confirmation  of  his  guilt  was  read. 

Vawter  felt  that  the  tide  was  against  him,  but 
he  said,  stoutly:  "I  do.  I  got  the  coat  I  am 
wearing  in  the  raiders'  camp  last  night.  I  never 
saw  it  before,  never  saw  or  heard  of  that  paper 
until  you  found  it  and  read  it.  My  name  is  not 
in  it;  it  belongs  to  somebody  else.  I  did  not 
know  that  there  was  anything  peculiar  about 
these  buttons.  For  aught  that  I  know  there  may 
be  a  message  of  some  sort  in  every  one  of  them, 
You  will  not  believe  me,  of  course,  and  I  don't 
expect  you  to.  Do  what  you  are  going  to  do  and 
be  quick  about  it." 

16 — LEGIONARIES. 


242  The  Legionaries 

Saying  this  much  he  leaned  back  against  the 
rough  cavern  wall  and  looked  at  them  defiantly. 

"It's  a  waste  of  time  to  argue  the  matter  fur 
ther,"  said  Griswold,  soberly.  "We  have  made 
no  mistake ;  you  are  all  that  we  suspected  and  a 
good  deal  more,  no  doubt.  It  looks  very  much 
as  if  you  are  a  traitor  to  both  sides  and  that  is 
being  about  as  'ornery'  as  a  man  can  get.  Yet,  in 
the  face  of  it  all,  we  are  disposed  to  seek  informa 
tion  of  you  on  the  condition  already  named.  Do 
you  agree." 

"May  it  please  you,  gentlemen,  there  is  noth 
ing  else  for  me  to  do,"  said  Vawter.  "The  sit 
uation  is  your  making,  and  as  between  the  certain 
death  that  is  promised  on  the  one  hand  and  a 
chance  to  live  that  is  not  promised  on  the  other, 
I  prefer  the  latter.  Now,  good  sirs,  if  you  have 
made  an  end  of  your  preliminaries,  come  to  the 
point." 

"Very  well,"  said  Griswold,  quickly.  "We 
want  to  know  about  the  arms  found  this  afternoon 
at  Bellray's." 

Vawter  did  not  speak  for  a  minute  or  two  and 
seemed  to  be  considering.  Seeing  his  hesitation, 
Griswold  again  spoke:  "You  do  not  belong  in 
this  country,  and  are  a  stranger  to  our  quarrels. 
The  people  who  live  hereabout  are  our  neighbors, 
and  though  we  do  not  look  at  some  things  alike, 
we  do  not  want  to  suspect  any  man  wrongfully 
nor  to  do  any  man  an  injury  unless  he  deserves  it. 


A  Discredited  Spy  243 

But  we  mean  to  protect  ourselves  and  to  stand  up 
for  what  we  believe  to  be  right.  If  you  don't 
know,  say  so ;  if  you  do  know,  if  you  speak  at 
all,  in  heaven's  name  speak  the  truth." 

"I  know  all  about  it,"  Vawter  answered  at 
last.  "And  mind  you,  not  as  a  conspirator,  but 
in  pursuance  of  my  duty  as  an  agent  of  the  gov 
ernment." 

He  stopped  again  and  seemed  for  a  moment  to 
fix  his  gaze  upon  the  man  in  the  background, 
who  appeared  to  be  very  uneasy  about  some 
thing,  then  he  went  on :  '  'When  Morgan  went  into 
camp  after  crossing  the  river  I  was  there.  I  had 
attached  myself  to  him  as  a  guide,  under  instruc 
tions.  That  night  Captain  John  Trenham — some 
of  you  may  know  him — superintended  the  con 
veyance  of  the  arms  to  Bellray's  house.  They 
were  supplied  by  the  rebel  government.  I  know 
this  because  I  followed  him  there  and  came  near 
getting  murdered  for  my  pains.  The  arms  were 
to  be  used  in  equipping  a  lot  of  Knights  of  the 
Acorn  for  war — an  uprising  to  assist  the  invasion. 
The  wounding  of  Bellray  in  the  attempt  to  arrest 
him  no  doubt  scared  the  conspirators  and  frus 
trated  their  immediate  plans." 

"Who  are  the  men  who  were  to  use  the  arms?" 

"That  I  don't  know.  Bellray  was  almost  as 
suspicious  of  me  as  you  are.  It  was  because  I 
couldn't  learn  who  were  conspiring  with  him  that 
I  communicated  some  days  ago  to  the  proper  au- 


244  The  Legionaries 

thorities  my  belief  that  it  was  necessary  to  arrest 
Bellray — who  is  the  leader  of  them  all — and  in 
that  way  scare  the  others.  At  that  time  I  did  not 
know  how  near  it  was  to  the  hour  when  they  were 
to  begin  cutting  your  precious  throats.  It  seems 
that  I  would  have  fared  better  if  I  had  kept  still 
and  let  them  go  ahead,  since  you  are  alive  to  do 
to  me  what  they  were  preparing  to  do  to  you." 

"Is  that  all  you  know  about  it?"  asked  Gris- 
wold,  mildly. 

"That's  all — except  as  to  the  girl,"  answered 
Vawter,  feeling  that  he  had  at  last  made  an  im 
pression  and  hoping  to  strengthen  it. 

"What  girl?" 

"Why,  none  other  than  that  sister  of  Bellray's, 
of  course.  She's  in  communication  with  the 
enemy." 

"Is  she  a  spy?" 

"Call  it  what  you  will;  she  is  in  communica 
tion  with  the  enemy.  I  don't  apply  the  word 
'spy'  because  it  doesn't  sound  well,  as  I  have 
learned  to-night,"  Vawter  replied. 

"It's  impossible,"  said  Griswold. 

'I  don't  believe  it,"  said  Wysart. 

Some  of  the  other  men  spoke  to  like  effect  and 
the  prisoner  saw  that  he  had  overstepped  himself. 

The  two  leaders  again  went  aside  and  talked 
between  themselves  for  several  minutes,  while  I, 
who  had  heard  Vawter 's  unblushing  lies  with  con 
stantly  rising  anger,  could  scarce  restrain  myself 


A  Discredited  Spy  245 

from  leaving  my  concealment  and  throttling  the 
rascal  where  he  sat.  Mechanically  I  gripped  the 
handle  of  my  sword  until  my  fingers  ached  with 
the  pain  of  it.  When  the  two  men  came  back 
into  the  circle  of  lights,  Griswold,  as  before,  was 
the  first  to  speak. 

"Men,"  he  said,  "Wysart  and  I  don't  take 
any  stock  in  what  this  fellow  says.  You  know 
that  it  was  rumored  that  John  Trenham  was  with 
the  raiders,  and  he  was  watched  for,  but  nobody 
saw  him — " 

"I  forgot  to  say,"  broke  in  Vawter,  "that  I 
assisted  Captain  Bracken  in  capturing  Trenham 
at  five  o'clock  this  morning,  while  he  was  on  his 
way  from  Bellray's  to  rejoin  his  troop,  and  he  is 
no  doubt  safe  in  Louisville  long  before  this." 

"This  man  is  talking  for  his  life,"  said  Wysart. 
"I  myself  saw  him  to-day  fire  at  a  loyal  citizen 
who  refused  to  surrender  his  property  at  the  com 
mand  of  one  of  the  raiders.  But  Griswold  thinks, 
and  so  do  I,  that  it  is  better  to  give  him  a  chance 
to  save  his  worthless  life  on  the  condition  that  he 
promises,  if  he  gets  out,  to  leave  the  country. 
What  do  you  say?" 

The  men  all  said  that  they  were  satisfied,  and 
Griswold  turned  to  Vawter  and  said : 

"There  are  three  openings  from  this  place. 
One  of  them  you  can't  reach  for  it  is  the  one  we 
came  through;  that  is  the  short  way  out. 
Another  is  a  small  opening;  that  doesn't  lead 


246  The  Legionaries 

out  at  all.  The  last  is  a  large  passage,  and  by 
following  it  carefully  for  a  mile  or  so  you  will  get 
outside.  If  you  choose  to  stay  here  long  enough 
somebody  may  come  this  way  and  lead  you  out. 
Untie  him,  Wilson." 

Vawter,  when  his  hands  were  released,  got  to 
his  feet.  The  others,  leaving  him,  went  to  the 
ladder  and  began  to  mount  it,  each  man  carrying 
his  lantern. 

"Are  you  going  to  leave  me  without  a  light?" 
shouted  the  miserable  man,  hurrying  behind 
them. 

They  made  him  no  answer. 

"How  do  you  expect  me  to  get  out  of  this 
hell-hole  in  the  dark?"  he  screamed  after  them 
as  they  continued  to  climb  upward. 

Wysart  stopped  half-way  up  the  ladder,  all  the 
others  having  preceded  him,  and  looking  down, 
said: 

"That  is  the  chance  we  give  you,  and  it  is 
much  better  than  the  other  thing." 

"At  least  leave  me  a  pistol,"  the  wretch 
begged. 

"We  think  you  had  better  not  have  a  pistol, 
but  there  is  a  sword  up  there  that  belonged  to  one 
of  the  rebel  officers.  Do  you  know  how  to  han 
dle  it?  If  you  don't  it  will  serve  as  a  tolerable 
walking  stick." 

"I  do;  better  than  anything  else,"  he  said 
eagerly,  all  his  bravado  gone. 


A  Discredited  Spy  247 

"Well,  we  don't.      I'll  drop  it  down  to  you." 

So  saying,  Wysart  mounted  to  the  opening  and 
the  ladder  was  drawn  up.  Then  holding  his  light 
before  him  so  that  its  rays  shone  on  the  upturned, 
anxious  face  of  the  forsaken  man,  he  leaned  out 
and  let  fall  the  scabbarded  weapon  into  Vawter's 
outstretched  hands. 

"Now  good-bye,  you  knave.  If  you  get  out, 
as  I  think  you  will,  leave  the  country.  Your 
skin  won't  be  worth  a  muskrat's  pelt  another  time, 
depend  on  it." 

Flinging  down  this  message,  Wysart  disap 
peared  from  the  opening,  leaving  the  great  "ca 
thedral"  in  darkness.  It  seemed  to  me  that 
just  before  he  departed  a  strange  sound  fell  from 
his  lips  very  like  that  which  had  been  uttered  by 
Vawter,  but  it  was  likely  in  mockery  of  what  he 
believed  to  be  the  other's  cowardice,  for  he 
laughed  rather  boisterously  immediately  after 
ward. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE   DUEL   IN   THE   CAVE 

WHEN  Vawter  realized  that  he  was  actually 
abandoned  to  his  fate,  he  filled  the  mighty  cham 
ber  with  curses,  which  he  directed  against  all 
who  were  concerned  in  bringing  upon  him  his 
present  trouble.  After  a  time  he  ceased  his  im 
potent  oaths,  and  I  heard  him  begin  to  grope 
cautiously  about  in  search  of  the  outlet  of  which 
he  had  been  told.  The  fellow's  character  was  such 
as  to  justify  an  honest  man  in  withholding  sym 
pathy,  and  I,  who  was  consumed  by  a  righteous 
wrath,  was  in  a  humor  to  adopt  an  extreme 
course.  Had  it  not  been  for  my  own  experience 
within  the  past  twenty-four  hours  I  might  have 
left  him  to  his  own  resources. 

As  I  sat,  however,  listening  to  the  shuffling 
steps,  and  the  stumbling,  halting  progress  of 
Vawter  my  heart  smote  me,  and  I  resolved  to 
offer  myself  as  guide.  And  then,  when  we  were 
outside,  face  to  face  and  on  an  equal  footing — 
then  what?  I  grasped  the  handle  of  my  sword, 
and  my  breath  came  and  went  through  my  gritted 
teeth.  Judging  from  the  faintness  of  the  sounds 
(248) 


The  Duel  in  the  Cave         249 

now  made  by  Vawter,  he  had  found  his  way  to 
the  opposite  side  of  the  mountain.  Lighting  one 
of  my  torches,  I  followed.  The  rays  from  the 
flaming  canes  reached  a  long  distance  ahead,  and 
before  I  had  proceeded  far  there  was  an  excla 
mation,  the  noise  of  rapid  steps,  and  Vawter's 
voice  broke  out,  before  he  came  into  my  view, 
saying : 

"And  so  you  were  just  trying  my  nerves,  were 
you,  or  are  you  coming  back  to  finish  the  job? 
But  whatever  you've  come  for — "and  then, 
turning  the  mountain's  jutting  base,  he  stood 
within  a  few  feet  of  one  of  the  last  persons  he 
could  have  expected  to  see  in  that  place. 

"Captain  Trenham!"  he  cried,  springing  back 
a  step.  He  had  flung  away  the  scabbard  and 
held  the  naked  sword  in  his  hand. 

"I  am  glad  you  recognize  me,"  said  I  calmly. 

Vawter  stood  irresolute  for  several  moments, 
his  face  working  under  the  influence  of  the  warring 
emotions  of  fear,  hatred  and  relief,  but  of  all  these 
that  of  hatred  was  the  strongest. 

"I  don't  wonder  that  you  had  your  doubts  on 
that  score,"  he  said  at  last,  recovering  from  his 
surprise.  "If  you  had  a  mirror  handy  you  could 
appreciate  the  humor  of  your  question.  You  do 
not  much  resemble  the  well-groomed  officer  who 
last  night  struck  me  in  the  face  in  the  presence  of 
his  mistress." 

'  'Whether  I  do  or  not,   I  distinctly  remember 


250  The  Legionaries 

the  circumstance  and  am  willing  to  give  you 
satisfaction,"  I  returned  as  quietly  as  I  could 
under  his  goading.  "But  first,  as  you  are  not 
familiar  with  this  place,  I  offer  you  the  benefit  of 
my  light  and  my  knowledge.  The  trying  posi 
tion  in  which  your  friends  left  you  appeals  to  me. ' ' 

"Thanks,"  he  said  with  a  snarl.  "Save  your 
sympathy  for  those  who  will  accept  it.  I  want 
neither  it  nor  your  aid." 

"As  you  will,"  I  replied,  half  making  ready  to 
go  my  way.  "I  felt  it  my  humane  duty  to  make 
the  offer  but  I  can  not  compel  you  to  accept  it. 
The  passages  are  difficult  but  not  absolutely  im 
passable  even  in  the  darkness." 

"Rather  than  put  myself  under  any  kind  of  ob 
ligation  to  you  I  will  rot  where  I  am,  for  I  have 
sworn  to  myself  to  kill  you  soon  or  late." 

His  manner  suddenly  became  threatening,  for 
my  appearance,  I  judged,  told  him  that  I  was 
weakened  by  something  that  had  befallen  me. 
Or  did  he,  coward-like,  take  my  conduct  as  a 
sign  of  fear,  and  look  upon  the  offer  of  help  as 
being  made  in  an  effort  to  propitiate  a  dreaded 
enemy? 

"You  can  kill  me  as  well  outside  as  here," 
said  I,  controlling  myself  by  a  great  effort  and 
speaking  without  heat,  "and  have  a  much  better 
chance  for  your  own  safety." 

"What  is  to  prevent  me  from  running  you 
through  where  you  stand,  and  by  the  aid  of  your 


The  Duel  in  the  Cave         251 

excellent  torch — then  mine  by  the  right  of  con 
quest — finding  my 'own  way?" 

"This,"  I  retorted,  striking  the  hilt  of  my 
sword. 

"Bah,"  he  cried,  a  scornful  smile  curling  his 
mouth.  "You  cavalrymen  know  only  how  to 
hack  and  hew.  The  cracking  of  a  head  from  a 
safe  seat  on  a  horse's  back  is  not  the  gentlemanly 
way,  and  it  is  not  mine.  I  warn  you  that  in  the 
use  of  the  sword  I  am  your  master." 

"I  am  glad  to  know  that  you  are  skillful." 

"Why  should  you  be  glad?  Really,  sir,  you 
are  something  of  a  humorist." 

"Because  I  should  not  fight  you  if  you  were 
not,"  said  I,  answering  his  question  and  ignoring 
his  fling. 

"Oh!"  contemptuously.  "You  take  high 
ground,  my  captain;  or  do  you  offer  that  as  a 
fair  specimen  of  your  wit?" 

"There  is  such  a  thing  as  conscience — the  in 
formation  seems  to  surprise  you — and  it  has  cre 
ated  in  me  an  insurmountable  prejudice  against 
doing  a  murder,  for  that  it  would  be  to  kill  a 
man  who  is  not  able  to  defend  himself." 

"You  make  a  good  plea  for  yourself,  but  I  am 
not  always — particularly  now,  in  your  case — 
troubled  by  such  a  flimsy  scruple.  A  man  must 
be  prepared  to  look  out  for  himself ;,  if  you  are  not 
it  Is  not  my  fault." 

"Do   not   misunderstand    me,"    said    I,  with 


252  The  Legionaries 

strained  seriousness,  but  feeling  my  temper  rise 
under  his  taunts.  "I  possess  some  skill  myself. 
Whether  it  is  equal  to  that  of  which  you  boast  I 
do  not  know,  but  it  is  considerable.  I  am  not 
bragging  of  it — only  putting  you  in  possession  of 
the  fact  before  you  assail  me." 

"You  are  kind,  indeed,"  he  said  jeeringly, 
"but  your  assertion  of  excellence  amuses  rather 
than  frightens  me.  The  only  really  serious  con 
cern  of  my  life  has  been  to  master  this  weapon — 
a  sort  of  fad,  you  know.  And,  by  the  way,  this 
sword  fits  nicely  to  my  hand  and  seems  to  be  of 
good  metal." 

Saying  which,  he  stepped  back  a  pace  and 
made  several  graceful  passes  and  lunges  at  an 
imaginary  foe  to  test  the  blade  and  incidentally 
to  impress  me  with  his  proficiency  in  its  use. 

"Come,"  I  said,  impatiently;  "if  you  will  not 
accept  my  guidance,  I  will  leave  with  you  my 
last  extra  torch.  With  it  you  can  follow  me  and 
I  will  wait  for  you  on  the  outside." 

"Pardon  me,  but  since  thinking  the  matter 
over,  I  prefer  to  settle  our  differences  here.  The 
light  might  be  better,  but  the  room  is  ample,  and 
the  temperature  delightful.  It  is,  I  assure  you, 
too  hot  for  our  work  in  the  outer  air.  Besides, 
you  might  not  see  fit  to  wait  for  me,  or  we  might 
be  disturbed.  When  I  leave  this  place  I  choose 
to  leave  it  as  quietly  as  possible.  Nobody  will 
know  where  you  are,  and  my  suit  for  the  hand  of 


The  Duel  in  the  Cave         253 

the  fair  Kate  may  again  prosper — aye,  it  will 
prosper." 

"Stop!"  I  exclaimed  at  this.  "You  will  pro 
voke  me  too  far  and  I  shall  forget  my  good  pur 
pose."  But  he  went  on  unheedingly,  as  if  deter 
mined  to  affront  me  beyond  endurance : 

"She  acted  very  well  the  other  night — for  it 
was  acting — when  she  saw  that  you  were  watch 
ing,  and  concluded  that  the  presence  of  so  fierce  a 
warrior  as  the  renowned  Captain  Trenham  might 
endanger  my  safety.  She  was  wrong  there,  of 
course,  but  your  interruption  prevented  what 
would  otherwise  have  been  a  very  tender  parting. 
We  will  adjust  all  our  affairs  here  and  now." 

"You  lying  knave,"  cried  I,  hoarse  with  sup 
pressed  fury.  "If  nothing  else  will  do  you,  so 
be  it,"  and  drawing  the  sword,  which  more  than 
once  I  had  been  on  the  point  of  abandoning  as 
cumbersome,  I  unbuckled  my  belt  and  threw  the 
scabbard  aside. 

Then  taking  up  the  last  extra  torch  of  canes  I 
lighted  it  in  the  blaze  of  the  other  and  both  were 
stuck  into  cracks  in  the  stone  wall,  thus  brightly 
illuminating  a  space  on  the  cavern's  floor  having 
a  diameter  more  than  sufficient  for  our  purpose. 
These  preparations  were  made  without  a  word 
being  spoken  by  either.  When  they  were  com 
pleted,  Vawter,  who  had  watched  me  all  the 
while,  as  I  could  see  from  the  corner  of  my  eye 
— for  I  did  not  in  the  least  trust  him — coolly  re- 


254  The  Legionaries 

moved  his  hat  and  coat  and  put  them  out  of  the 
way.  I  did  likewise  with  my  coat,  having  no  hat. 

Then  we  faced  each  other  in  the  center  of  the 
lighted  circle,  no  mortal  eye  upon  us,  no  human 
presence  to  stay  our  hands.  Vawter's  lips  curled 
insolently  as  he  toyed  with  his  weapon,  and  yet 
as  he  looked  into  my  eyes  and  noted  my  earnest 
ness  I  felt  that  his  confidence  failed  him  a  little. 
For  a  moment  only  did  we  gaze  at  each  other, 
and  then  throwing  himself  into  position,  Vavvter 
cried  out: 

"Come  on,  Mr.  Cavalryman;  begin  your  hack- 
ing." 

Instantly  our  blades  flashed  and  rang  as  they 
met.  For  a  few  seconds  they  ground  together 
while  each  looked  into  the  other's  eyes  for  the 
sign  of  attack.  Presently  the  sudden  increase 
of  pressure  against  my  sword  warned  me  of  a 
thrust,  which  followed  instantly,  but  which  I  easily 
parried.  After  that  Vavvter  made  feints,  lunges 
and  thrusts  with  great  rapidity  and  skill,  but  I, 
being  content  to  let  him  exhaust  himself,  met 
them  all  with  an  art  which  I  was  vain  enough  to 
believe  was  not  inferior  to  his  own.  And  then, 
too,  I  felt  that  the  binding  of  his  arms  at  the 
wrists,  from  which  he  was  not  long  freed,  was  at 
least  not  to  my  disadvantage,  for  without  a  well- 
conditioned  wrist  the  highest  art  may  prove  of  no 
avail  against  even  a  clumsy  but  bold  opponent. 

A  man  ready  in  defense  should  be  no  less  ex- 


The  Duel  in  the  Cave         255 

pert  in  onset,  and  as  I  had  so  far  been  successful 
in  the  first,  I  hoped,  for  its  moral  effect,  that 
Vawter  might  believe  that  I  would  be  equally  effi 
cient  in  the  latter.  A  lack  of  confidence  in  one's 
self  is  worse  than  overfaith,  and  since  it  may  be 
produced  as  well  by  discovering  an  enemy's 
strength  as  by  knowledge  of  one's  own  weakness, 
I  put  forth  my  powers  as  far  as  I  could  without 
wasting  my  strength,  for  I  found  that  I  was  deal 
ing  with  no  mean  antagonist. 

When,  after  the  lapse  of  several  minutes,  Vaw 
ter  had  tried  every  stroke  and  trick  in  which  he 
was  practiced  without  breaking  through  my 
guard,  I  fancied  that  he  was  beginning  to  be  less 
hopeful  of  a  favorable  outcome.  Seeming  to  real 
ize  this  himself,  with  a  desperation  begotten  by 
the  too  evident  failure  of  his  boasted  prowess,  he 
fell  upon  me  for  a  while  with  renewed  vigor,  ply 
ing  his  blade  in  drive  and  thrust,  but  still  he  did 
not  reach.  .  Then,  as  he  rested  for  a  moment, 
the  weapons  sliding  against  each  other  with  a 
metallic  purring  sound,  I  felt  that  the  time  had 
come  for  me  to  abandon  the  defensive  attitude 
that  I  had  thus  far  maintained. 

"Guard  yourself,  sir,"  cried  I. 

"Look  to  your  own  skin,"  he  flung  back. 

For  a  few  seconds  more  the  purring  continued, 
then  came  a  harsher  grind  of  steel,  accompanied 
by  a  clicking  sound  as  if  the  hotly  throbbing 
blood  of  both  shook  the  weapons  with  every 


256  The  Legionaries 

heart-beat.  Vawter,  in  despairing  rage,  at 
tempted  a  villainous  foul,  but  knowing  his  treach 
erous  character  I  foresaw  the  blow,  and  evaded  it. 

Immediately,  in  pursuance  of  my  warning,  I 
became  the  aggressor,  and  slipped  my  blade  from 
one  side  to  the  other  of  my  opponent's  sword, 
executing  frequent  short  thrusts  and  feints  with 
an  adeptness  that  seemed  to  nettle  him,  and  play 
ing  over  and  under  his  guard  in  a  way  calcu 
lated  to  show  him  that  I  was  particular  where  I 
should  touch.  My  chief  purpose,  of  course,  was 
not  that,  but  was  to  uncover  his  parades. 

As  in  attack,  now  in  defense  Vawter  put  forth 
his  utmost  skill,  exhibiting  both  a  natural  and 
trained  dexterity  of  a  high  order,  and  skillfully 
foiling  many  of  my  attempted  disengagements ; 
but  I  kept  my  arm  moving  rapidly  in  the  manner 
that  I  had  been  taught  by  the  best  master  in 
France,  and  soon  saw  in  his  face  signs  of  distress 
beneath  the  scowl  that  he  had  worn  all  along. 
He  at  last  fell  to  defending  himself  mechanically, 
and  appeared  to  be  waiting  for  the  thrust  that 
should  settle  the  contest. 

I  did  not  seek  his  life,  for  twice  had  my  point 
found  an  opening  and  slightly  pricked  his  body, 
and  once,  going  over  his  guard,  had  flashed  be 
neath  his  frightened  eyes  to  his  very  throat  and 
then  leaped  back  again,  leaving  him  shaking  and 
ghastly.  But  a  quick  realization  of  my  forbear 
ance  bolstered  his  spirit  and  restored  strength  to 


The  Duel  in  the  Cave         257 

his  arm,  and  for  a  little  time  he  worked  with  des 
peration.  That  he  would  kill  me  if  he  could  I  was 
well  satisfied,  while  I  did  not  desire  more  than  his 
disablement. 

I  set  about  to  end  the  combat.  Twice  I  made 
a  serious  effort  to  touch  him  and  failed,  whereat 
he  spat  out  vicious  taunts  to  further  disconcert 
me,  which  almost  made  me  regret  that  I  had  not 
run  him  through.  Warned  by  a  growing  faintness 
that  my  long  fast  was  telling  upon  me,  and  dread 
ing  lestVawter  should  see  my  plight,  I  summoned 
to  my  aid  all  of  my  reserve  strength  and,  with 
set  mouth  and  stern  gaze,  began  pushing  my  ad 
versary,  having  a  dim,  half-bewildered  conscious 
ness  that  the  end  was  near. 

For  an  instant  there  was  light  play  of  the 
swords,  then  once  more  and  for  the  last  time  a 
tense  grating  of  steel,  then  the  gleam  of  a 
straight  blade.  With  an  exclamation  of  pain 
Vawter  staggered  backward,  his  weapon  falling 
from  his  relaxed  hand  to  the  cavern  floor  with  a 
loud,  resonant  clang.  His  sword  arm  hung  by 
his  side,  and  blood  stained  his  white  sleeve  and 
dripped  from  his  fingers. 

"I  am  at  your  mercy,  sir,"  he  said,  reeling, 
his  face  very  white. 

Casting    my   weapon    aside,  I  threw  my  arm 
about  my  defeated  adversary,  and  supporting  him 
to  a  seat  at  the  base   of  the   mountain,  set  to 
17 — LEGIONARIES. 


258  The  Legionaries 

work  to  ascertain  the  character  of  the  wound.  A 
look  sufficed  to  show  that  my  sword  had  pierced 
the  arm  through  and  through  a  few  inches  above 
the  elbow,  missing  the  bone. 

"The  injury  is  not  serious,  Mr.  Vawter,"  I 
said  when  the  examination  was  finished. 

"For  which  I  thank  you;  you  could  just  as 
easily  have  found  my  heart. ' ' 

'  'I  never  intended  to  take  your  life ;  what  I  did 
was  to  prevent  you  from  taking  mine." 

"You  are  a  magnanimous  foe,  for  I  would  have 
killed  you  if  I  could,  as  I  told  you.  And  I  really 
thought  I  could,  but  you  surprised  me." 

I  made  no  response  to  this  frank  avowal,  and 
proceeded  to  bind  up  the  wound  as  best  I  could 
with  strips  torn  from  the  injured  man's  shirt. 
Completing  this  task,  I  then  conducted  him  to  a 
near-by  spring  of  which  I  had  knowledge  and  re 
freshed  him  with  a  drink  of  the  cold  water;  then 
removed  from  both  as  far  as  possible  the  red  signs 
of  the  conflict.  This  done,  I  said : 

"I  renew  my  offer  to  act  as  your  guide  from 
this  place.  It  is  impossible  that  you  should 
again  refuse,  for  you  will  presently  require  the  at 
tention  of  a  surgeon." 

A  look  of  gratitude  came  into  the  man's  face 
and  for  the  time  obscured  its  evil  lines. 

"You  are  the  master,"  he  said;  "command 
and  I  obey.  And,  Captain,  let  me  say  that  I  feel 
that  you  have  done  me  good  by  the  wholesome 


The  Duel  in  the  Cave         259 

lessons  that  you  have  impressed  upon  me  within 
the  past  half  hour.  It  may  not  last,  for  I  have 
been  too  long  leading  a  wicked  and  irresolute  life 
to  change  all  at  once.  But  just  now  I  feel  a  new 
kind  of  impulse  and  sensations  to  which  hereto 
fore  I  have  been  a  stranger.  I  say  it  may  not  last, 
and  to-morrow  I  may  be  just  as  eager  to  cut  your 
throat  as  I  was  thirty  minutes  ago,  and  follow 
just  as  recklessly  as  in  the  past  the  straight  road 
to  hell.  Somehow  I  hope  these  new  feelings  will 
last.  Will  you  take  my  hand?" 

I  grasped  the  extended  hand  and  pressed  it 
warmly,  though  it  was  not,  I  will  confess,  with 
out  some  thought  of  the  sick  devil's  resolution  to 
become  a  monk. 

"It  is  the  left  one,  but  that  isn't  my  fault,  you 
know,"  he  said,  smiling  weakly. 

"The  other  will  soon  be  sound  enough,"  said 
I,  and  then  continued :  "There  is  no  reason  why 
you  shouldn't  be  what  you  hope ;  for  your  own 
sake  try.  As  for  me  I  bear  you  no  malice."  It 
should  not  be  said  that  I  withheld  from  a  peni 
tent  enemy  the  support  of  my  encouragement. 

"I  have  done  you  grave  injuries." 

"I  know." 

"I  have  falsely  accused  you  to  your  old  neigh 
bors  of  doing  a  dastardly  thing." 

"I  heard  it  all." 

"And  I  lied  about  her." 


260  The  Legionaries 

"I  heard  that,  too,  and— once  I  thought  I 
would  kill  you  for  it." 

"I  almost  wish  you  had;  my  life  is  worthless." 

"We  will  not  discuss  these  things  now,"  I  re 
turned.  "We  must  be  off." 

Without  further  words  the  start  was  made.  As 
we  went  along  he  told  me  how, leaving  my  General's 
column  late  in  the  afternoon,  he  turned  back,  pur 
suing  a  course  far  to  the  westward  of  that  followed 
in  the  morning  and  intending  to  reach  Leaven- 
worth.  He  did  not  feel  that  it  would  be  safe  for 
him  to  show  himself  openly  to  any  of  the  inhabi 
tants  about  Corydon,  for  fear  that  they  had  mis 
understood  him  and  his  part  in  the  day's  adven 
tures.  Saying  which,  he  laughed  mockingly, 
muttering,  "the  fools,  the  idiots,"  and  other  un 
complimentary  terms  from  which  I  concluded 
that  the  leopard  could  not  change  all  of  his  spots 
at  once. 

About  nine  o'clock  he  had  been  set  upon  by  a 
party  of  horsemen  who,  recognizing  him,  had 
carried  him  off  into  the  woods  a  little  distance 
where  they  held  a  council  of  war,  as  he  phrased  it, 
in  which  he  heard  the  words  "spy"  and  "arms" 
and  "Bellray's."  One  or  two  of  the  men  had, 
he  thought,  proposed  to  hang  him  at  once  without 
the  benefit  of  clergy.  But  after  a  little  time  they 
had  taken  him  to  a  hole  in  the  ground  where  lan 
terns  were  produced,  and  from  thence  to  the  place 
where  they  had  left  him. 


The  Duel  in  the  Cave         261 

"I  prefer  to  forget  what  took  place  there,"  he 
said  a  little  mournfully. 

Then  he  brightened  again.  "For  awhile  they 
had  me  going,  and  my  nerves  were  a  little  shaky. 
But  after  a  time  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  had  an 
arrow  which  I  had  not  shot,  and  so  I  sang  a  short 
ditty  that  seemed  to  meet  with  the  approbation 
of  at  least  one  of  the  knaves,  for  he  indicated  that 
I  had  a  friend  at  court.  How  he  happened  to 
be  in  that  company — but  then  I  am  sometimes  in 
queer  company  myself." 

An  hour's  easy  progress  brought  us  into  the 
open  air  which  seemed  as  good  and  sweet  to  me 
as  the  breath  of  paradise  after  my  long  immure 
ment,  and  a  prayer  of  thankfulness  for  God's 
mercy  rose  in  my  heart  as  I  turned  my  eyes  upon 
the  star-studded  sky.  Extinguishing  my  torch, 
we  went  a  little  aside  and  sat  down  to  rest  be 
fore  parting,  each  to  go  his  way,  Vawter  toward 
Leavenworth,  a  few  miles  distant,  and  I — where? 

Presently  we  heard  voices,  and  soon  two  men, 
one  of  them  bearing  a  lantern,  emerged  from  the 
entrance  that  we  had  left  a  few  minutes  before. 
Reaching  the  outside,  the  one  with  the  light 
raised  it  to  put  it  out,  in  the  act  disclosing  the 
faces  of  the  two  men. 

"It  is  my  friend,"  whispered  Vawter,  "and — 
hell's  fire  — '? 

"AndWysart,"  I  added. 

It  was  indeed  the  man  who  had  given  the  sign 


262  The  Legionaries 

from  the  background  in  response  to  Vawter's  pe 
culiar  refrain,  and  one  of  the  leaders,  who,  while 
able,  no  doubt,  and  willing  to  answer  also  was 
not  in  a  position  to  do  so  with  safety.  They  did 
not  tarry,  but  made  off,  and  I  heard  them  as  they 
went  assuring  each  other  that  they  had  at  least 
done  their  duty.  When  they  were  well  out  of 
sight  and  hearing,  my  companion,  after  re-assert 
ing  that  he  was  no  longer  my  enemy,  also  left 
me,  his  face  so  white  and  drawn  with  the  pain  of 
his  wound  that  I  observed  it  even  in  the  feeble 
light  afforded  by  the  stars,  and  pitied  the  rascal, 
for  such  he  had  been  and  was  likely  to  continue. 
He  had  told  me  nothing  further  than  I  have  re 
lated,  but  it  was  plain  enough  that  he  and  Wysart 
and  the  other,  though  strangers,  were  bound  by 
some  sort  of  tie,  of  which  they  could  make  dem 
onstration.  The  two  men  had,  after  leaving  their 
companions,  returned  to  give  him  aid,  so  artfully 
had  he  thrown  in  the  magic  word  while  pro 
nouncing  himself  the  servant  of  their  enemy.  He 
was  in  truth  a  very  accomplished  knave. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

WORD    BY   THE   REFUGEE 

BEING  again  on  top  of  the  ground  and  not 
knowing  what  better  to  do  just  then,  I  set  out  for 
my  mother's  house,  intending  to  remain  there  if 
I  could  until  an  opportunity  offered  to  get  out  of 
the  country.  There  was  no  reasonable  hope  of 
being  able  to  rejoin  my  command,  which  would  be 
forced  to  sweep  ahead  like  a  thunder  cloud  before 
the  breath  of  the  storm  behind  it.  Once  at  my 
mother's,  I  could  lie  quietly  by,  and  under  cover 
of  the  following  night  reach  the  Ohio  and  trust 
to  luck  to  find  some  means  of  recrossing  into 
Kentucky. 

With  these  thoughts  in  my  mind  I  went  along 
until  I  had  covered  most  of  the  distance  to  be 
traversed,  thinking  little  of  my  physical  state; 
but  now  I  began  to  feel  faint  and  weak  from  the 
lack  of  food  and  the  reaction  from  the  strain  under 
which  I  had  labored  for  so  many  heart-breaking 
hours.  My  feet  were  heavy  as  lead,  and  my 
limbs  moved  sluggishly  and  with  difficulty.  Com 
ing  to  a  large  boulder  by  the  side  of  the  road  I 
sat  down  upon  the  ground  to  rest,  my  back  against 
(263) 


264  The  Legionaries 

the  rock.  My  mother's  home  was  not  far  away, 
and  if  I  did  not  misjudge  the  hour  I  still  had  am 
ple  time  to  reach  it  before  daylight.  Nothing 
was  further  from  my  intention  than  to  allow  my 
self  to  fall  asleep,  yet  such  a  misadventure  over 
took  me. 

I  was  awakened  by  liearing  my  name  called.  It 
was  broad  daylight,  and  many  horsemen  stood  in 
the  road  a  few  feet  away,  all  of  them  wearing  the 
garb  of  my  General's  soldiers.  What  had  hap 
pened  to  stop  them  here?  Had  they  thus  early 
been  defeated  and  scattered? 

"In  God's  name,  Trenham,  what's  the  matter 
with  you?"  called  out  a  familiar  voice,  none  other 
than  that  of  Captain  Sivad,  who  had  been  de 
tached  from  the  main  column  before  we  crossed 
the  river,  and  had  not  rejoined  us  at  the  time 
that  event  took  place. 

He  had,  it  subsequently  transpired,  himself 
crossed  at  Twelve  Mile  Island,  with  two  troops, 
which  had  been  reduced  to  less  than  fifty  men,  the 
number  now  with  him.  I  did  not  wonder  at  his 
consternation  on  beholding  me,  ragged,  bare 
headed,  and  w©e-begone  as  I  certainly  looked. 
On  my  part,  while  my  satisfaction  was  great  on 
seeing  him  and  his  men,  I  felt  a  sense  of  mortifi 
cation  at  my  plight,  though  there  was  no  need, 
considering  what  had  led  to  it. 

"There  is  enough  the  matter  with  me,  Sivad," 
I  answered,  referring  to  his  exclamatory  question. 


Word  by  the  Refugee         265 

"But  the  thing  I  need  most  urgently  is  some 
breakfast,  as  I  have  eaten  nothing  for  thirty 
hours." 

Whatever  misfortunes  these  men  had  suffered, 
the  want  of  food  was  not  one,  and  without  more 
ado  my  needs  in  this  respect  were  quickly  sup 
plied.  While  I  was  eating,  I  recounted  enough 
of  my  experiences  to  explain  my  present  situa 
tion.  Captain  Sivad,  on  his  part,  having  ac 
quired  it  from  the  inhabitants,  had  more  recent 
information  than  I  as  to  the  General's  move 
ments,  and  confided  to  me  his  purpose  to  get  out 
of  the  country  before  he  was  completely  de 
stroyed. 

It  would  be  the  wildest  folly,  he  proclaimed, 
to  attempt  to  follow  the  main  body  of  our  fellows. 
In  this  respect  we  were  of  one  mind,  for  nothing 
was  clearer  than  the  fact  that  we  could  not  now 
hope  to  be  of  any  service  to  our  chief,  and  that 
an  attempt  to  render  any,  as  the  situation  now 
showed  itself,  would  lead  to  nothing  more  or  less 
than  our  own  annihilation. 

Sivad  told  me  also  that  he  had  heard  that 
a  large  force  of  mounted  Federal  soldiers  had 
crossed  the  river  the  evening  before  in  pursuit  of 
the  General,  and  that  he  thought  he  would  lie  by 
for  a  day  until  the  enemy  was  out  of  the  neigh 
borhood.  As  it  was,  he  had  traveled  most  of  the 
night,  without  a  guide  and  hap-hazard.  To  this 
he  was  put  by  much  harrying  and  because  of 


266  The  Legionaries 

his  belief  that  his  position  and  strength  were 
known,  and  that  the  legionaries  were  concentrating 
to  attack  him  in  such  numbers  as  to  leave  him 
small  chance  to  save  the  poor  remnant  of  his 
command. 

A  deep  wood  lay  to  the  south  of  the  road,  and 
into  that  we  made  our  way  for  probably  half  a 
mile  until  we  came  to  a  narrow  grassy  valley  be 
tween  two  fair-sized  hills.  Near  the  middle  of 
the  valley  ran  a  little  stream  of  clear  water.  It 
seemed  to  be  an  ideal  place  for  our  purpose,  as 
the  forest  was  dense  and  extensive  in  all  direc 
tions. 

Being  myself  without  a  horse,  I  had  waited  at 
the  side  of  the  road  until  all  of  the  men  were 
well  into  the  wood  and  then  started  to  follow  on 
foot.  I  had  not  gone  far  and  was  still  within  the 
view  of  persons  who  might,  by  chance,  pass  along 
the  road,  when  I  heard  the  clatter  of  hoofs.  I 
dropped  instinctively  to  the  ground  before  turn 
ing  my  eyes  in  the  direction  of  the  sounds.  When 
I  did  look,  I  saw  two  women  on  horseback  in  the 
act  of  checking  their  horses  while  they  turned 
their  faces  toward  where  I  lay. 

To  my  amazement  they  proved  to  be  Kate 
Bellray  and  Betty  West.  I  knew  that  they  had 
long  been  accustomed  to  early  morning  rides,  but 
I  was  greatly  surprised  to  see  them  at  this  time  in 
view  of  the  unsettled  condition  of  the  country. 
Just  now  as  they  gazed  in  my  direction,  if  not  at 


Word  by  the  Refugee         267 

me — for  I  felt  that  I  could  not  be  seen  where  I 
lay — I  fancied  that  they  looked  startled.  From 
this  it  was  easy  to  judge  that  they  had  either  seen 
me  or  some  of  the  cavalrymen  straggling  further 
on  through  the  trees. 

Had  I  been  alone  I  might  have  revealed  my 
self  and  hailed  them,  disreputable  as  my  appear 
ance  was,  but  as  matters  were  no  such  thought  en 
tered  my  mind.  They  did  not  stop,  but  only  slowed 
their  pace,  and  this  but  briefly,  for  in  a  mo 
ment  they  turned  squarely  about  and  putting 
whip  to  their  animals  went  rapidly  back  in  the 
direction  from  which  they  came.  This  action 
was  sufficient  to  confirm  my  already  well-founded 
conjecture  that  we  had  been  observed.  But  there 
was  no  help  for  it,  nor  did  it  greatly  increase  my 
apprehension.  I  said  nothing  about  it  to  Sivad, 
for  I  could  conceive  of  no  way  in  which  the  little 
that  the  girls  had  seen  was  likely  to  prove  harm 
ful  to  us. 

During  the  day  the  horses  grazed  contentedly 
upon  the  grass  bordering  both  sides  of  the  stream, 
and  the  men,  lying  about  in  the  shade  of  the 
trees,  secured  the  sleep  of  which  they,  like  my 
self,  greatly  stood  in  need.  Not  all  day,  however, 
were  they  thus  idle.  Sivad,  about  noon,  sent 
three  men  back  to  the  road,  with  instruction  to 
bring  in  some  passer-by  from  whom  information 
might  be  obtained.  Two  hours  later  they  reap 
peared,  one  of  them  leading  a  horse  upon  which 


268  The  Legionaries 

sat  a  boy  of  sixteen  or  thereabout,  while  the  other 
two  walked  behind.  He  was  at  once  taken  before 
Captain  Sivad  for  questioning,  appearing  to  be 
very  cool  and  self-possessed,  and  exhibiting  no 
trace  of  fear. 

"Well,  my  boy,  what  is  your  name?"  asked 
the  officer,  not  unkindly. 

"It's  Sam  Hollen — I  don't  mind  tellin'  you  as 
a  name  won't  ha'm  nobody." 

"Do  you  live  around  here?" 

"Yes,  suh;  I  wo'k  at  Mistah  Bellray's — been 
theah  since  last  wintah." 

"You  don't  talk  like  a  Hoosier." 

"I  ain't  suh,  I'm  f'om  Geo'gy,"  said  the  boy, 
looking  Sivad  calmly  in  the  face.  "And  I  ain't 
a  rebel,  like  you'ns." 

"Oh,  I  see;  you  are  a  refugee,"  answered  the 
officer  smiling.  "Well,  it's  no  matter;  have  you 
seen  any  Union  soldiers  to-day?" 

"Hain't  seen  nothin'  else,  much,  but  I've  been 
lookin'  mostly  fo'  a  rebel.  'Spect  you  kin  tell  me 
wheah  he  is.  I  don'  know — mebby  it's  you" — 
the  latter  doubtfully — "no,  it's  not  you,  ceh- 
tainly  not  you.  You  ain't  Cap'n  Trenham,  ah 
you?" 

"I  am  Captain  Trenham,"  said  I  stepping  for 
ward  eagerly.  "What  do  you  want  with  me?" 

The  boy  looked  me  over  critically.  "It's  a 
little  mo'  like  it,  but  not  what  I  expected  f'om 


Word  by  the  Refugee         269 

what  she  said.  Is  theah  mo'  than  one  Cap'n 
Trenham?" 

There  was  now  a  laugh  at  my  expense  and 
Sivad  wanted  to  know  what  I  had  been  up  to, 
being  ignorant,  like  the  others,  that  I  had  friends 
here.  I  knew  that  the  lad  had  come  from  Kate, 
but  for  what  purpose?  She  had  recognized  me, 
that  was  clear,  but  being  with  Betty  had,  for 
some  reason,  kept  the  knowledge  to  herself. 

"There  is  only  one  Captain  Trenham,  and  I 
arn  he,"  said  I  quickly.  "Speak;  what  is  it?" 

He  slowly  put  his  hand  in  his  trousers'  pocket. 
"I've  got  something  fo'  you — if  I  hain't  lost  it. 
No,  heah  it  is." 

There  was  a  crackling  of  paper  in  his  pocket  as 
his  fingers  clutched  something,  and  he  drew  out  a 
small  envelope,  crumpled  and  sweat-stained,  and 
passed  it  to  me.  There  was  no  address  of  any 
kind  on  the  outside.  I  broke  the  seal  and  took 
out  the  enclosure,  a  half  sheet  of  dainty  letter 
paper.  This  is  what  I  read,  evidently  written  in 
haste  and  trepidation : 

"I  saw  you  this  morning;  I  can't  be  mistaken. 
B —  did  not  see  you  but  she  saw  the  others.  I 
did  not  see  them.  Union  soldiers  going  by  all 
morning.  B — gave  information.  I  tried  to  pre 
vent  her;  we  quarreled  and  she  called  me  a  rebel. 
Oh  !  Oh  !  Oh !  They  will  send  a  large  force,  no 
doubt,  for  B —  says  there  were  hundreds.  Save 
yourself  and  do  it  quickly  if  this  reaches  you,  as 


270  The  Legionaries 

I  pray  it  may.     I  am  doing  something  terrible, 
but  it  is  for  you,  not  the  others." 

That  was  all,  no  signature,  no  names,  but 
Kate's  distressed  face  looked  out  from  every 
word.  After  reading  I  took  out  a  match  and  set 
ting  fire  to  the  message  watched  it  until  it  was 
consumed,  then  ground  the  blackened  remnant  to 
dust  between  my  palms.  Until  now  I  had  re 
mained  silent,  while  Sivad  and  the  men  about 
watched  me  curiously. 

"Let  the  boy  go,"  said  I  at  last,  absently, 
turning  to  those  who  had  brought  him. 

Sivad  looked  at  me,  flushing  a  little.  "You 
forget,  Captain  Trenham,  that  I  command  here," 
he  said,  with  some  irritation. 

"Pardon  me,"  I  returned,  thus  recalled  to  my 
self. 

I  took  him  apart  from  the  others  and  acquaint 
ed  him  with  the  character  of  the  information  that 
had  come  to  me,  and  his  soldier  spirit  was  aroused. 

"We  will  take  the  road.  I  have  already  lost 
two-thirds  of  the  brave  fellows  who  crossed  the 
river  with  me  and  can  do  little  with  the  handful 
that  is  left,  but  that  little  shall  be  done." 

Being  a  careful  officer,  Captain  Sivad  upon 
going  into  camp  had  posted  guards,  and  these 
he  gave  orders  to  call  in,  except  those  in  the 
direction  of  the  highway,  who  could  be  taken  up 
as  we  marched  out  of  the  wood.  The  fact  that 
no  alarm  had  come  from  them  assured  us  that 


Word  by  the  Refugee         271 

there  had  been  delay  in  sending  an  expedition 
against  us,  but  that  we  should  meet  our  opposers 
somewhere  neither  Sivad  nor  I  had  the  least 
doubt.  The  boy  who  had  brought  the  message, 
on  being  further  questioned  by  me  while  the 
men  were  bringing  up  their  horses,  said  that  he 
had  left  Bellray's  about  eleven  o'clock,  but 
guessed  that  he  would  have  started  sooner  had  he 
not  been  gone  since  early  morning  on  another 
errand. 

"Miss  Katewus  'most  crazy  when  I  got  home, 
no  otha  men  folks  about  and  Mistah  Rogah 
wo'se  than  nobody.  He  was  wo'ked  up  that 
bad  theah's  no  tellin',  seein'  the  soljah's  way  off 
theah,  and  declarin'  the  wah  wus  begun  at  last. 
He's  cehtainly  crazy  now,  shuah  nuff ;  don't  know 
any  mo'  wheah  I  came  f'om,  when  it's  only  last 
wintah  I  run  away  f'om  Geo'gy  to  keep  f'om  bein' 
'scripted  some  day,  and  aftah  wanderin'  'round 
freezin'  and  sta'vin'  'most  to  death,  he  found  me 
in  New  Albany,  and  tuk  me  home  with  'im.  He's 
not  very  strong  Union,  but  said  I  had  no  call 
to  fight  fo'  the  rebels  ef  I  didn't  b'lieve  they 
wus  right.  He  gimme  money  to  bring  mothah 
no'th,  fo'  we  weah  very  po',  but  I  hain't  had  no 
chance  yet.  Fathah,  he's  daid — shot  one  night 
last  summah,  by  some  of  you'ns,  I  guess,  jes' 
like  we'uns  shot  Mistah  Bellray.  We  ah  all  a 
good  deal  alike,  no'th  an'  south;  wheah  the 


272  The  Legionaries 

most  is,  they  want  to  make  the  res'  think  jes' 
like  'em." 

He  wiped  a  tear  from  his  eye  when  he  alluded 
to  his  family,  and  then  proceeded  to  deliver  the 
subsequent  opinion  of  human  kind  with  philo 
sophical  composure.  He  had  got  off  the  horse 
and  stood  holding  it  by  the  bridle.  Just  now 
came  an  order  to  take  saddles  and  he  turned  and 
looked  at  me  questioningly. 

"Somebody  heah ain't  got  no  hoss,"  he  said. 

"How  do  you  know  that?"  I  asked,  starting 
guiltily  at  his  words. 

"I  don'  know  much,  but  I  ken  see  an'  count, 
an'  I've  counted  the  hosses  an'  theah's  fo'ty- 
seven,  an'  then  I  counted  you'ns  an'  theah's 
fo'ty-eight.  She  said  if  Captain  Trenham  ain't 
got  no  hoss  fo'  him  to  tek  Prince.  He's  huh 
own  an'  theah  ain't  none  bettah.  Ef  it's  you, 
suh,  that's  afoot  tek  Prince,  else  I  wouldn't  dah 
go  back." 

I  felt  my  face  grow  red  with  embarrassment  as 
I  realized  that  her  quick  eyes  and  keen  intuition 
had  correctly  interpreted  my  unfortunate  state,  of 
which  I  was  myself  painfully  conscious.  Several 
of  the  men  during  the  day  had  offered  to  surren 
der  their  mounts  to  me,  and  insisted  when  I  re 
fused,  but  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  accept  such 
a  sacrifice. 

A  cavalryman  without  a  horse  flounders  as 
badly  as  a  fish  on  land  and  is  almost  as  helpless. 


Word  by  the  Refugee         273 

They  had  then  proposed  to  go  out  and  "borrow" 
one  from  some  near-by  farmer,  but  this  I  would 
not  allow;  nor  would  Sivad  consent  if  I  were  will 
ing  to  pursue  so  summary  a  method,  for  to  put  it 
on  no  higher  ground  our  position  was  desperately 
precarious  and  required  us  to  shun  observation  as 
far  as  possible.  So  it  happened  that  they  had  to 
be  content  with  providing  me  with  a  hat,  an  extra 
one  that  I  could  make  answer  being  found  some 
where  among  their  furnishings. 

And  now,  if  I  did  not  accept  the  fine  animal 
at  my  hand,  I  must  abandon  my  sorely  pressed 
comrades.  While  I  was  hesitating  the  captain 
came  up,  already  mounted,  and  with  him  one  of 
the  men,  a  young  fellow  with  fair  hair,  who,  as 
I  had  previously  noticed,  carried  one  arm  in  a 
sling  from  a  recent  wound.  It  seemed  to  be  a 
severe  injury,  for  his  manner  was  feverish  and 
he  appeared  to  be  in  a  bad  way  generally.  He 
had  been  lying  down  all  day,  taking  little  ac 
count  of  anything  going  on  about  him. 

"Smith  says  he  can't  go  any  further,"  said 
Sivad;  "swears  that  he  will  tumble  at  the  first 
gallop,  and  wants  to  lie  right  down  here  in  the 
woods  and  stay." 

"That's  right;   I'm  done  fo'   fo'   a  time,  and 
the's  no  denyin'  it,"  said  Smith,  as  he  tottered 
off  a  little  way,  and  stretched  himself  out  on  the 
grass  in  the  shade  of  a  tree. 
18 — LEGIONARIES. 


274  The  Legionaries 

Captain  Sivad  looked  at  the  boy,  whose  eyes, 
with  a  strange  light  in  them,  had  followed  the 
man  on  the  ground.  "Here,  you  runaway  from 
Georgia,  will  you  take  care  of  this  man  and  get 
him  some  place  where  he  can  have  a  doctor?" 

"Yes,  suh,  I  will,  an'  I  ought  to;  it's  my 
brothah,  Smith  Hollen,  the  only  rebel  in  the 
family,"  replied  the  boy,  with  trembling  voice. 

He  then  walked  quickly  to  the  side  of  the  sick 
man,  and  kneeling  down  called  his  name.  The 
other  looked  up,  a  flash  of  recognition  in  his  eyes. 

"Hello,  little  Bub;  ain't  you  a  long  way  f'om 
home?"  Then  reaching  up  his  sound  arm  he  put 
it  across  the  boy's  shoulders,  and  the  latter  be 
gan  to  cry.  Stout-hearted  lads  they  were,  both 
of  them,  but  human. 

I  went  over  and  laid  my  hand  on  the  younger's 
head  and  he  lifted  his  face:  "Tell  her  that  I 
thank  her,"  I  said. 

"Yes,  suh;  cehtainly." 

Thus  we  left  them  and  the  horse  Prince,  I  rid 
ing  the  extra  animal  that  had  been  ridden  by  the 
refugee's  brother.  We  had  not  proceeded  more 
than  half  the  distance  to  the  road  when  we  heard 
some  shots,  and  presently  one  of  the  pickets  came 
tearing  through  the  timber  which  on  this  side 
was  open  enough  to  admit  of  fair  passage  to  horse 
men.  By  reason  of  a  slight  rise  in  the  ground 
the  road  was  not  yet  in  view  and  we  could  not 
see  the  cause  of  his  haste,  nor  did  we  need.  He 


Word  by  the  Refugee         275 

approached  and  reported  to  the  captain  the  pres 
ence  of  a  troop  of  Federal  cavalry  and  some  un 
mounted  legionaries.  The  latter  were  entering 
the  wood  while  the  cavalry  remained  in  the  road. 

"That's  not  as  bad  as  it  might  be,"  said  Sivad 
to  me.  I  was  riding  with  him  at  the  head  of  his 
men. 

We  went  flying  forward  and  soon  reached  the 
summit  of  the  rise.  The  legionaries  who  were 
scattered  about  in  our  front  at  once  opened  a  fe 
verish  fire,  which  did  us  no  damage  as  we  swept 
along  in  open  order.  A  sound  of  firing  coming 
from  the  direction  of  the  camp  we  had  left  told 
that  the  foot  soldiers  were  also  marching  upon  us 
through  the  wood.  Our  voluntary  departure  had 
deprived  them  of  the  satisfaction  of  driving  us. 

The  legionaries  before  us,  not  knowing  our 
strength  and  probably  believing  it  to  be  much 
greater  than  it  was,  after  firing  another  ineffect 
ual  round  apparently  in  increased  excitement, 
broke  from  cover  and  ran  pell-mell  toward  the 
road,  our  fellows  hammering  after  them  like  mad, 
jumping  logs,  dodging  low-hanging  limbs  and 
performing  other  feats  made  necessary  by  the 
character  of  the  ground. 

Near  the  road  there  was  less  obstruction  and 
we  were  able  to  draw  together  and  assume  a  more 
regular  and  efficient  formation.  But  after  all,  the 
approaching  contest  could  be  little  better  than  a 
scampering,  happy-go-lucky  affair  on  our  side, 


276  The  Legionaries 

with  the  chances  wofully  against  us.  For  we 
now  saw,  instead  of  the  single  troop  standing 
grimly  off  to  the  eastward,  ready  to  pounce  upon 
us  as  soon  as  we  should  clear  the  wood,  another 
group  of  horsemen  on  our  left  which  had  hitherto 
been  concealed  from  us  by  a  row  of  wild  cherry 
trees.  The  legionaries,  now  seeing  our  feeble 
numbers  and  emboldened  thereby,  stopped  and 
renewed  their  fire  from  behind  the  bank  of  a  ra 
vine  on  our  right. 

Captain  Sivad,  riding  at  my  bridle,  looked 
flushed  and  anxious.  The  two  troops  of  Federal 
cavalry  remained  motionless  in  their  respective 
positions,  thus  holding  the  road  in  both  directions 
with  a  force  superior  to  our  own. 

"Ah!"  cried  Sivad,  and  then  he  shouted  an 
order  to  halt  that  brought  us  to  a  stand  just  at 
the  margin  of  the  road.  "They  think  they  have 
us." 

The  firing  had  ceased  and  two  officers  cantered 
toward  us  from  the  eastern  troop,  one  of  them 
bearing  a  flag  of  truce.  Sivad  and  I  rode  out  to 
meet  them  and  they  saluted  us  with  great  re 
spect.  After  asking  who  was  in  command  one 
of  the  officers,  a  lieutenant,  as  his  well-worn  uni 
form  proved,  demanded  our  surrender,  asserting 
that  we  were  hopelessly  beset. 

Without  a  moment's  hesitation  or  wavering, 
Sivad  refused,  bluntly  but  courteously,  declaring 
that  he  still  had  fifty  stout  men,  and  that,  though 


Word  by  the  Refugee         277 

the  way  was  blocked,  he  would  take  his  chances  on 
cutting  a  path  for  himself.  The  interview  ended 
there,  and  again  saluting  respectfully,  as  though 
we  were  not  at  once  to  begin  cutting  each  other's 
throats,  both  parties  wheeled  about  and  returned 
to  the  head  of  their  respective  forces. 

Waiting  only  long  enough  for  the  Federal  offi 
cers  to  rejoin  their  troop  and  report  the  futility  of 
their  errand  we  swung  into  the  highway,  but  instead 
of  going  to  the  eastward,  we  went  west,  straight 
toward  the  bunch  of  blue-trousered  troopers  that 
filled  the  road  to  its  edges.  They  got  under 
way  with  a  shout  and  came  on,  much  more  eager 
for  the  fray,  but  not  more  determined  than  we, 
who  had  been  put  to  a  choice  of  evils  and  had 
taken  the  most  manly  and  also  the  most  hazard 
ous  and  hopeless  one.  Before  there  was  time  to 
calculate  our  chances  with  the  foe  before  us,  we 
struck  with  great  clash  and  outcry,  our  fresher 
horses  giving  us  an  impetus  that  sent  us  far  into 
their  ranks;  but  these  ranks  were  deep  and  as 
lusty  as  our  own. 

The  animal  I  was  riding,  being  spirited  but  too 
light  for  the  work  he  was  put  to,  was  at  the  onset 
struck  squarely  on  the  shoulder  by  a  powerful 
charger  whose  gleaming  white  teeth  showed 
viciously  at  my  saddle  horn.  The  blow,  by  rea 
son  of  superior  weight  hurled  my  mount  toward 
the  edge  of  the  line,  partly  turning  him  about  and 


278  The  Legionaries 

directly  in  front  of  an  officer  whose  sword  was 
lifted  to  strike  me. 

The  officer  was  Philip  Deverny,  and  he  uttered 
my  name  as  he  turned  his  weapon  aside.  Just 
then  came  a  flash  and  a  report  seemingly  at  my 
very  face,  a  shock  and  a  sting,  and  I  pitched 
headlong  from  my  horse.  The  animal,  evidently 
a  new  acquisition  and  unused  to  battle,  with  no 
hand  now  at  his  rein,  dashed  to  one  side  snorting 
with  fear,  and  dragged  me  after  him,  my  shoulders 
on  the  ground  and  one  foot  fast  in  the  stirrup. 
How  far  I  was  drawn  along  I  can  not  tell,  for  pres 
ently  I  received  a  tremendous  thump  on  the  head 
and  knew  no  more. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

AND  SOME  DAY — 

ABOUT  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  sec 
ond  day  after  the  events  last  related,  two  men 
rode  at  a  leisurely  pace  out  of  the  county  town 
of  Corydon.  One  was  a  deputy  of  the  district 
provost;  the  other  was  Griswold. 

"And  so,"  said  the  latter,  when  they  had  got 
well  beyond  the  town,  "proceedings  against  Bell- 
ray  have  been  suspended." 

"Yes,"  answered  the  deputy,  a  youngish  man 
of  good  presence.  "What  else  could  be  done? 
The  doctors  declare  that  he  is  now  non  compos 
mentis — which  means,  in  plain  English,  that  his 
mind  is  not  right — and  they  furthermore  declare 
that  he  will  never  be  any  better  until  his  skull  is 
repaired  by  some  one  who  understands  that  sort 
of  carpentry.  It  seems  that  he  was  hurt  three  or 
four  years  ago,  and  their  theory  is  that  that  bul 
let  of  Spelker's  traveled  over  the  ground  covered 
by  the  former  injury,  and  set  his  mental  clock 
back  to  that  time,  completely  wiping  out  every 
thing  that  has  happened  since." 
(279) 


280  The  Legionaries 

"It  may  be,"  said  Griswold,  thoughtfully, 
"that  the  old  hurt  explains  his  recent  conduct." 

The  other  laughed.  "I  don't  remember  that 
all  these  other  people  had  a  knock  on  the  head, 
but  it  is  possible.  It  would  at  least  be  a  charita 
ble  thing  to  believe." 

"What  has  become  of  Spelker?"  asked  Gris 
wold,  after  a  while. 

"Why,  man,  haven't  I  told  you?"  was  the 
counter-query.  "It  was  all  simple  enough;  a 
mountain  fell  on  him,  or  something  like  that." 

"What  is  the  joke?     I  don't  understand  it." 

"It  is  no  joke  at  all;  at  any  rate  it  was  not  to 
Spelker,  nor  would  it  be  to  you  or  me  if  the  same 
thing  should  happen  to  us,"  said  the  deputy  se 
riously.  "He  thought  he  had  killed  Roger  Bell- 
ray — indeed,  he  boasted  of  it  that  night  in  Cory- 
don — and  Bellray,  whatever  may  be  said  of  him, 
has  many  friends.  Within  an  hour  or  two  after 
making  his  boast  he  got  word  in  some  way — and 
it  must  have  come  to  him  very  straight — that  he 
had  been  marked  by  the  brethren  of  the  acorn  for 
slaughter.  Now  Spelker,  as  we  all  know,  was 
more  discreet  than  valorous  where  his  personal 
safety  was  concerned.  So  he  put  himself  under 
Captain  Bracken's  protection  and  started  to  leave 
the  country  for  a  time.  That  very  night  Brack 
en's  party  with  Spelker  and  another" — he  paused 
for  a  moment,  looking  at  his  companion;  "well, 
I  may  as  well  tell  you — it  can  do  no  harm  now  as 


And  Some  Day —  281 

his  cake  is  dough  here  anyway — and  another,  by 
name  Vawter,  a  useful  rascal  if  you  don't  trust 
him  too  far,  left  town  together,  Vawter  to  rejoin 
his  latest  employer,  then  uncomfortably  near,  and 
Bracken  and  the  others  to  take  boat  somewhere 
along  the  river  for  Louisville.  Early  in  the  morn 
ing  they  picked  up  Captain  John  Trenham,  who 
had  taken  the  night  to  visit  his  mother,  and  car 
ried  him  along  as  prisoner  of  war.  All  this,  re 
member,  came  to  me  last  night  in  a  report  from 
Bracken.  Well,  separating  from  Vawter,  the 
captain  pushed  toward  the  river  and  came  upon 
it  near  Kinkle's  Landing.  He  saw  a  packet  com 
ing  up,  and  as  the  road  down  was  too  far  away, 
he,  under  Spelker's  leadership,  undertook  to 
make  a  short  cut  through  a  break  in  the  bluffs. 
All  that  Bracken  knows  is  that  from  the  side  of  the 
ravine  hundreds  of  tons  of  limestone  and  earth 
tumbled  down  on  the  two  unfortunate  men,  and — 
there  they  are.  That  is  what  became  of  Spelker, 
and  likewise  of  poor  Trenham.  I  don't  care 
much  for  the  horse-trader,  for  he  was  constantly 
swindling  the  government  that  he  professed  to 
love  and  was  an  arrant  coward  to  boot.  As  for 
Trenham,  we  have  one  enemy  the  less." 

"It  was   merited  and  quick  retribution  in  his 
case,  too,"  asserted  Griswold,  solemnly. 
"How  so?     And  why  retribution?" 
"Because  it  was  he  that  took  the  arms  to  Bell- 
ray's.     It  was   for  that  purpose  he  was  out  that 


The  Legionaries 

night  instead  of  to  pay  a  visit  to  his  mother," 
exclaimed  Griswold,  bitterly.  "It  was  to  arm 
the  people  that  you  call  'brethren  of  the  acorn* 
to  stab  us  in  the  back  while  we  faced  the  raiders." 

"Since  you  speak  of  that  matter,"  returned 
the  deputy,  facing  the  other  with  a  suggestive 
smile,  "I  remember  that  I  also  have  a  letter  from 
Vawter,  received  yesterday  morning  at  the  hands 
of  a  reliable  messenger,  in  which  he  reports  a 
narrow  escape  from  a  band  of  desperate  char 
acters  to  whom  he  attributes  some  patriotism 
but  more  fear  for  their  own  skins.  He  says  these 
people  carried  him  off  to  some  underground  place, 
mistaking  him — and  not  altogether  without  rea 
son,  it  must  be  admitted — for  a  rebel  spy  work 
ing  in  cahoots  with  the  men  of  the  acorn,  and 
there  forced  from  him,  as  the  price  of  his  life,  a 
confession  as  to  how  the  arms  came  to  be  at  Bell- 
ray's.  He  says  he  told  these  men  that  Captain 
Trenham  had  them  conveyed  there,  and  told 
them  a  lot  of  other  stuff,  all  of  which  he  asserts 
positively  to  be  untrue,  and  writes  that  he  hastens 
to  tell  me,  as  the  responsible  man  hereabout,  so 
that  no  mischief  will  result  from  his  unwilling 
fairy  tale." 

"Is  that  all  he  says?"  asked  Griswold,  red 
dening. 

"Practically  all." 

"Does  he  not  say  where  these — these  desper- 


And  Some  Day —  283 

ate  people  took  him  and  what  they  did  with  him 
after  he  confessed?" 

"No,  the  letter  is  very  short,  which  he  ex 
plains  by  saying  that  he  had  to  write  left-handed, 
as  he  had  that  same  night,  after  his  inquisitors 
left  him,  fallen  and  seriously  injured  his  right 
arm." 

"I  don't  wonder  that  he  did,"  said  Griswold, 
abstractedly. 

"What's  that?"  asked  the  deputy. 

"I  don't  wonder  that  he  wrote  a  short  letter  if 
he  had  to  do  it  left-handed.  It's  a  difficult  thing 
for  a  right-handed  man  to  do,"  responded  the 
other,  escaping  from  his  blunder. 

If  Vawter  had  seen  fit  to  hold  his  tongue — for 
he  must  have  heard  his  name  and  Wysart's  at  least 
— he,  Griswold,  would  do  likewise,  for  the  dep 
uty  provost  was  a  trifle  jealous  of  his  powers,  and 
might  not  countenance  independent  action,  espe 
cially  when  it  was  directed  against  one  of  the  gov 
ernment  's  information  gatherers. 

They  continued  their  journey  in  silence,  save 
for  a  remark  now  and  then  on  matters  not  con 
nected  with  this  story,  until  they  had  traveled 
several  miles.  Then  Griswold,  pointing  to  a  large 
house  with  red  chimneys  standing  far  back  from 
the  road,  said: 

"I  wonder  if  the  widow  knows?" 

"How  could  she  know?"  answered  the  pro 
vost.  "After  I  have  withdrawn  the  guard  from 


284  The  Legionaries 

Bellray's  I  shall  make  it  my  painful  duty  to  stop 
and  tell  her — or  I  will  let  you  do  it." 

"Excuse  me  from  that  service,"  said  the  other, 
throwing  up  his  hand  protestingly.  "Give  me  a 
command  to  meet  a  man  and  I  will  obey;  but 
this  is  a  responsibility  that  I  would  evade,  even 
though  the  family  belongs  to  the  secesh." 

Coming  a  mile  further  on,  to  the  lane  running 
from  the  public  highway  to  Roger  Bellray's  house 
they  turned  their  horses  into  it.  As  they  neared 
the  house  they  saw  two  persons,  a  man  and 
a  woman,  on  the  shaded  veranda.  The  man  was 
sitting  in  a  rocking  chair,  a  white  bandage  about 
his  head;  the  woman  was  seated  on  the  outer 
edge  of  the  floor,  her  feet  resting  on  the  wide 
wooden  steps.  These  two  persons  watched  them 
as  they  approached,  and  were  plainly  holding  a 
conversation  about  them.  When  they  reached 
the  gate  only  the  provost's  deputy  dismounted. 
The  girl — for  it  was  Kate — rose  to  receive  him  as 
he  went  up  the  walk.  Roger  made  an  effort  to 
do  likewise,  but  she  put  out  her  hand  and  re 
strained  him. 

"I  am  well  enough  to  receive  my  guests,"  he 
said,  a  little  peevishly  and  yet  mildly,  more  as  if 
he  were  stating  a  fact  than  protesting. 

"Yes,  Roger,"  she  returned  gently,  "but  they 
know  you  have  been  ill,  and  will  take  your  sitting 
as  no  discourtesy." 


And  Some  Day —  285 

The  deputy  came  up  to  them  while  she  was 
speaking,  and  understood. 

"Keep  your  seat,  Mr.  Bellray,"  he  said,  after 
bowing  to  Kate.  "I  trust  you  are  improving, 
sir." 

"Thank  you;  I  am  very  much  better,  Mr. — , 
Mr. — ,  pardon  me,"  he  stammered  weakly ;  "my 
memory  has  become  very  treacherous,  it  seems, 
and  your  name  escapes  me." 

"Lancross,  Francis  Lancross." 

"Yes,  certainly;  you  are  the  friend  of  our 
guest,  Mr.  Shaw — a  very  entertaining  man,  that 
Mr.  Shaw,  though  he  did  talk  very  absurdly  at 
first  about  many  impossible  things,  and" — laugh 
ing — "I  did  him  the  injustice  to  think  that  some 
thing  was  the  matter  with  his  head.  That  didn't 
last  long,  however,  and  he  explained  that  he  was 
a  great  joker.  Like  myself  he  voted  for  Doug 
las,  but  he  doesn't  think  there'll  be  any  serious 
trouble;  I  hope  he  is  right,  though  I  don't  un 
derstand  why  so  many  soldiers  were  going  by 
the  other  day — something  very  unusual — never 
heard  of  the  like  before.  The  outlook  is  very 
bad.  But  pardon  me  again;  you  may  not  take 
such  an  interest  in  politics  as  I  do,  and  my  sister, 
who  is  an  excellent  nurse  for  one  so  young,  tells 
me  that  I  should  put  it  all  out  of  my  head  until  I 
am  completely  recovered." 

"It  is  always  better  to  take  the  advice  of  one's 
doctor  and  nurse — particularly  that  of  the  nurse, ' ' 


286  The  Legionaries 

said  Lancross,  good-naturedly.  "But  we  men 
make  poor  patients,  Mr.  Bellray;  we  are  too 
much  inclined  to  have  our  own  way,  and  it's  not 
always  the  best  way,  either."  Then  he  added: 
"If  you  will  excuse  me,  sir,  I  should  like  a  word 
with  Miss  Bellray."  With  that  he  turned  toward 
Kate  and  the  two  went  into  the  house. 

Now  the  deputy  provost  was  only  an  official 
sojourner  at  Corydon,  to  which  place  he  had  been 
sent  to  investigate  the  temper  of  some  of  the  in 
habitants  of  that  region  with  respect  to  proposed 
war  measures.  Rumors  had  been  widely  circu 
lated  that  in  many  parts  of  the  state  there  was  to 
be  organized  resistance  to  conscriptions,  and  there 
had  been  many  sporadic  outbreaks  already.  Not 
only  that,  but  it  was  also  reported  that  dissatisfied 
persons  were  preparing  to  give  armed  aid  at  the 
first  opportunity  to  the  forces  of  the  Confederate 
government. 

It  was  known  that  secret  political  societies — 
always  to  be  condemned  in  a  free  country — had 
been  numerously  established  in  many  of  the  loyal 
states,  with  purposes  and  aims  so  obscure  to  the 
uninitiated  as  to  arouse  a  suspicion  which  finally 
ended  in  resentment  and  bitter  opposition.  The 
leaders  in  these  societies  asserted  their  lawful 
character,  and  protested  that  their  object  was 
merely  to  conserve  the  principles  of  constitutional 
government  during  a  period  of  great  excitement  ; 
that  they  stood  between  the  rebellious  destruc- 


And  Some  Day —  287 

tionists  on  the  one  hand  and  the  loose  construc- 
tionists  on  the  other;  and  that,  while  they  de 
nounced  and  gave  no  aid  to  the  first,  they 
reserved  the  right  to  criticise  any  disregard  of 
the  constitution  by  the  latter. 

It  is  no  doubt  true  that  the  great  majority  of 
those  who  made  up  the  membership  of  these  as 
sociations  in  the  middle  northern  states  were  hon 
est  and  patriotic  according  to  their  view  of  the 
times.  But  that  there  were  selfish,  reckless  and 
scheming  men  among  them,  as  well  as  others  so 
naturally  fond  of  excitements  and  intrigues  as  to 
care  little  for  results  and  give  light  consideration 
to  means,  is  beyond  question. 

It  was  not  apparent  then,  however,  and  has  never 
been  clearly  shown  since  that  these  societies  were 
in  fact  treasonable.  That  there  was  here  and 
there  a  man  among  them  who  was  disloyal,  and 
who  held  intercourse  with  the  enemies  of  the  gov 
ernment,  is  no  doubt  true.  The  population  in 
many  parts  of  southern  Indiana  was  made  up 
largely  of  families  and  the  descendents  of  fami 
lies  who  had  emigrated  from  the  seceding  states, 
where  generations  of  their  forefathers  had  lived 
and  died,  and  where  they  still  had  numerous  kin- 
folk.  The  memories  and  traditions  of  the  south 
land  were  still  fresh,  and  gave  rise  to  sentiments 
that  hampered  them  in  choosing  their  course  in 
the  great  conflict  between  the  sections. 

It  is  not,  therefore,  strange  that  men  who  would 


288  The  Legionaries 

have  been  the  fierce  partisans  of  their  government 
in  a  war  with  a  foreign  power  now  held  back, 
and  in  their  uncertainty  of  purpose  knew  not 
where  to  turn.  This  was  one  class  from  which 
the  ill-advised  secret  societies  were  recruited.  It 
was  to  this  class  that  Roger  Bellray  belonged. 

These  societies  were  of  course  known  to  the 
government,  which  at  first  gave  them  little  atten 
tion.  But  as  time  went  on  and  feeling  grew  into 
a  veritable  fever  of  passion,  when  men  disputed 
with  each  other  without  toleration,  when  personal 
quarrels  became  neighborhood  feuds  and  these  in 
turn  presaged  a  nightmare  of  anarchy,  the  author 
ities  sent  agents  abroad  under  instructions  to  act 
as  occasion  demanded. 

Bellray  was,  as  I  have  already  endeavored  to 
make  clear,  a  man  who  spoke  with  great  freedom 
and  fearlessness,  and  though  no  honest  man 
could  be  found  who  would  depose  to  any  overt 
act  of  his  that  could  be  tortured  into  treasonable 
conduct,  there  were  many  to  denounce  his  ex 
pressed  sentiments.  It  was  soon  clearly  estab 
lished  that  he,  with  others,  frequently  met  in 
secret,  but  for  what  purpose  could  only  be  con 
jectured.  That  they  were  well  informed  as  to 
each  other  and  did  not  desire  the  association  of 
outsiders  was  settled  by  the  failure  of  shrewd  se 
cret  agents  to  gain  their  confidence  and  obtain 
access  to  their  meetings;  in  some  localities,  how 
ever,  these  agents  met  with  better  success,  as  Vaw- 


And  Some  Day—  289 

ter  had  somewhere  become  a  member  of  the  gen 
eral  order.  Of  these  men  Bellray  was  the  un 
questioned  leader — his  the  guiding  and  directing 
mind. 

When  it  became  apparent  to  the  provost's  dep 
uty  that  an  invasion  was  imminent,  he  caused  steps 
to  be  taken  for  the  arrest  and  detention  of  Bell- 
ray  as  a  precautionary  measure,  governing  him 
self  by  the  saying  that  where  there  is  smoke  there 
must  be  fire.  Captain  Bracken's  bungling  had 
given  him  great  concern,  for  the  death  of  so  pow 
erful  a  man,  with  so  numerous  a  following  as  he 
was  known  to  possess,  under  such  circumstances 
might  provoke  a  great  commotion  and  increase  a 
bitterness  that  good  policy  should  strive  to  allay 
rather  than  to  crush.  When  it  came  to  him  early 
the  next  morning  that  Bellray  was  not  dead,  but 
only  wounded,  the  Confederate  cavalry  was  en 
gaged  with  the  legionaries  at  the  town's  gates. 
Later  in  the  day,  when  the  invaders,  after  captur 
ing,  had  left  the  town  and  swept  on  to  the  north, 
he  went  to  Bellray 's  house  and,  learning  the  situ 
ation,  left  a  single  guard  until  he  could  get  word 
as  to  his  further  course  from  his  superiors. 

It  was  immediately  after  Lancross  went  away 
that  Griswold,  Wysart  and  some  others  rode  up, 
they  having  followed  for  some  time,  at  a  safe  dis 
tance,  the  track  of  the  raiders.  The  former  had 
received  from  some  anonymous  source  informa- 
19 — LEGIONARIES. 


290  The  Legionaries 

tion  that  under  the  floor,  at  the  corner  of  the  house 
where  Bellray's  workroom  was,  fire-arms  would 
be  found.  The  identity  of  the  betrayer  was  never 
disclosed,  but  when  these  facts  became  known  to 
me  my  thoughts  reverted  to  what  Roger  had  said 
on  the  night  of  my  departure  for  the  South,  to  the 
effect  that  those  in  whom  one  most  confided 
might  be  the  first  to  prove  false. 

A  search  revealed  that  the  person  who  directed 
this  treacherous  blow  at  the  man  who  had  already 
paid  such  a  heavy  penalty  for  his  mistaken  con 
duct  was  not  writing  at  random,  although  Wysart 
and  one  or  two  others,  when  the  matter  was  first 
laid  before  them,  pooh-poohed  and  declared  that 
it  was  preposterous  to  think  that  a  man  of  Bell- 
ray's  sense  and  standing  would  do  such  a  thing. 

When  the  discovery  was  made,  Roger,  who  had 
followed  the  men — for  he  would  go  about — was 
more  genuinely  astounded  than  any  other,  and 
laughed  to  think  that  he  should  have  such  a  treas 
ure  without  knowing  it,  while  Kate  looked  on, 
pale,  tearful  and  silent.  Wysart,  it  was  noticed, 
talked  a  great  deal,  and  as  the  party  rode  off 
was  more  violent  in  his  denunciation  than  any  of 
his  companions.  I  fancied,  when  I  heard  about 
it,  that  possibly  he  had  a  thought  of  himself. 

It  was  not  until  the  next  morning  that  the  mat 
ter  was  reported  to  Lancross,  but  he  did  not  see 
fit  to  change  his  plans  as  to  Bellray,  though  he 
decided  to  redouble  his  vigilance  in  general.  And 


And  Some  Day —  291 

now  he  had  come  to  say  that  he  had  received 
instructions  directing  him  until  further  orders  to 
do  nothing  more  in  Roger's  case.  It  was  about 
this  that  he  desired  to  talk  with  Kate. 

"I  am  glad  to  say,"  he  began,  when  they  were 
beyond  the  hearing  of  Roger,  "that  proceedings 
against  your  brother  have  been  suspended  and  I 
have  come  to  withdraw  the  guard." 

"I  can  not  tell  you  how  happy  it  makes  me  to 
hear  it,"  Kate  said,  overjoyed,  and  with  tears 
springing  to  her  eyes.  Then  she  added,  sorrow 
fully:  "But  what  worse  thing  could  the  govern 
ment  do  than  it  has  already  done?  It  has  robbed 
him  of  his  mind,  and  almost  made  a  rebel  of  me." 

"The  shooting  was  very  unfortunate,  and  none 
the  less  so  because  done  against  positive  orders," 
returned  Lancross.  "But  the  man  who  boasted  of 
the  deed  has  dearly  paid  for  it." 

"How?"  she  asked,  quickly. 

"With  his  life,"  was  the  answer. 

"If  he  has  been  executed  so  soon,"  she  said, 
dropping  her  eyes,  "then  you  tried  him  by  court- 
martial — or  did  you  give  him  a  trial?  Oh,  I  am 
sorry  you  did  not  wait,  for  he  did  not,  after  all, 
kill  my  brother." 

"He  was  not  tried  by  any  human  court  or 
power;  he  was  killed  by  accident,"  explained 
the  deputy. 

"Poor  man!"  said  Kate. 

A  few  minutes  later  she  stood  by  her  brother's 


292  The  Legionaries 

chair  watching  the  departure  of  the  deputy  and 
Griswold,  now  accompanied  by  the  guard,  Shaw. 
She  gave  a  sigh  of  relief ;  at  last  she  could  speak 
and  act  freely,  for  though  the  surveillance  had 
been  nominal,  it  was  nevertheless  irritating. 
Roger  began  to  talk  to  her  and  she  answered 
him  absently;  her  gaze  was  upon  the  three 
horsemen  galloping  along  the  highway.  In  a 
little  while  she  cried  out  in  a  startled  voice : 

"Oh,  they  are  going  there!" 

"Going  where?"  asked  Roger,  who  had 
ceased  to  think  about  the  men. 

"To  Trenham's,"  she  answered,  her  voice 
shaking. 

"Well,  why  shouldn't  they?  They  are  gentle 
men,  I  am  sure,  and  it  may  be  that  they  have 
business  with  Mr.  Trenham,"  he  said,  alluding  to 
my  deceased  father. 

"I  pray  God  that  they  have  not,"  she  returned 
forgetfully,  thinking  of  me. 

"Why,  how  strangely  you  talk,  my  dear  child," 
said  Roger,  looking  at  her  in  amazement  and  still 
speaking  from  that  past  in  which  he  now  lived. 
"One  would  think  from  what  you  say  that  some 
thing  terrible  might  happen." 

"And  so  it  may,  oh,  so  it  may,"  she  cried, 
still  in  the  moving  present. 

"Kate,  what  could  happen?  Your  manner 
disturbs  me,"  Roger  said,  reaching  out  and  tak 
ing  her  hand,  which  was  trembling. 


And  Some  Day —  293 

She  came  to  herself  with  a  start  and  looked 
concernedly  at  her  brother,  attempting  to  smile 
but  failing. 

"What  did  I  say?  I  fear  that  my  nerves  are 
not  as  strong  as  I  have  believed." 

"You  said  something  terrible  might  happen  at 
Trenham's." 

"Oh,  Roger,  you  must  not  tell — remember  you 
mustnot  tell — but  young  Mr.  Trenham  is  at  home, 
desperately  hurt,  and  visitors  might  annoy  him  ; ' ' 
then,  kneeling  by  his  side,  she  leaned  her  head 
upon  the  chair  arm  and  broke  into  tears. 

"There,  there;  don't  cry.  He  is  strong  and 
will  come  along  all  right.  He  is  a  fine  lad  and 
some  day — "  he  stopped. 

"And  some  day?"  she  repeated  questioningly, 
to  draw  him  on,  but  he  remained  silent,  the  whole 
matter  having  seemingly  passed  from  his  mind. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE  COMING  OF  THE  PROVOST 

FOR  a  strong-willed,  self-reliant  girl  Kate  had 
greatly  given  way  to  fear  when  she  saw  the  deputy 
provost  and  his  companions  going  toward  my 
mother's  house,  where  I  had  found  myself  on  re 
gaining  my  senses  the  morning  before.  But 
heaven  knows  that  there  had  been  occurrences 
enough  in  the  past  four  days  to  unsettle  nerves 
even  stronger  than  hers.  What  with  the  shoot 
ing  of  her  brother,  the  boisterous  passing  of  my 
General's  men,  the  eager  pursuit  by  the  Union 
soldiery,  the  damning  discovery  of  Roger's  guilty 
store,  together  with  the  general  confusion  and 
disorder,  it  was  not  strange  that  she  should  have 
been  moved  more  than  others  by  the  doubt,  dis 
trust  and  alarm  that  racked  the  community.  And 
now  to  all  these  things  had  been  added  my  own 
then  unexplained  misfortune. 

Her  situation  was  so  singular,  so  entirely  dif 
ferent  from  that  of  any  other  person,  as  to  be 
well-nigh  unbearable.  Her  pride  had  been 
touched  but  her  heart  bled;  and  with  it  all,  mak 
ing  her  lot  harder  to  endure,  was  the  realization  of 
her  own  weakness,  and  her  belief  that  she  must  be 
(294) 


The  Coming  of  the  Provost     295 

dependent  upon  the  mercy  of  those  for  whom  she 
had  so  often  and  so  resolutely  contended. 

To  high  natures  the  dominant  impulse  is  to 
demand;  to  such  it  is  torture  to  entreat,  and  if 
the  supplication  must  be  addressed  to  friends  the 
sharpness  of  the  pain  is  increased  by  an  added 
humiliation,  more  keen,  I  think,  than  comes  from 
submission  to  an  over-strong  and  successful  enemy 
whom  we  have  opposed  to  the  extent  of  our 
powers. 

She  was  in  a  frame  of  mind  to  imagine  the 
happening  of  direful  things,  as  indeed  she  might, 
considering  the  inflamed  condition  of  the  people. 
Our  bold  riders  had  gone  like  a  tornado  through 
the  county,  levying  quick  tribute  as  they  went. 
With  enemies  springing  up  as  thick  as  leaves 
about  them,  and  knowing  that  relentless  pursuers 
were  at  their  heels,  they  did  not  parley  about 
terms  but  helped  themselves.  The  condition 
was  one  of  the  General's  own  making  and  he 
might  have  foreseen  the  desperate  straits  to  which 
he  was  afterward  driven.  But  confidence  in  his 
men  and  in  himself,  and  faith  in  the  fortune  that 
had  never  before  forsaken  him  led  him  on. 

His  undertaking  was  not  inspired  by  vainglory ; 
it  was  not  a  mere  desperate  attempt  to  win  renown 
for  himself.  Of  that  I  am  satisfied.  He  unselfishly 
sought  to  loosen  the  bands  that  were  strangling 
his  chief  in  the  South,  to  give  him  an  opportu 
nity  to  breathe,  a  greater  freedom  and  a  chance 


296  The  Legionaries 

to  save  the  great  army  committed  to  him.  In  a 
measure  he  succeeded,  but  at  such  a  pitiful  cost 
to  himself.  Nearly  a  hundred  thousand  men 
were  called  to  arms  to  oppose  him,  and  a  large 
part  of  these  were  sent  into  the  field.  His  strug 
gle  to  save  his  command,  as  will  be  seen,  was 
heroic,  but  it  ended  in  tragedy. 

Military  ethics — if  there  be  such  a  thing — nat 
urally  could  find  small  place  in  his  plans  during 
the  wild  ride  he  had  entered  upon  through  the 
very  heart  of  a  hostile  country.  It  was  not 
equitable  that  his  men  should  ask  only  their  own 
consent  in  trading  their  wearied  horses  for  fresh 
ones  as  they  went  along,  but  I  reflect  that  his 
Unionist  pursuers  did  likewise.  Nor  can  many 
other  acts  charged  and  treasured  against  them  be 
justified  by  any  known  moral  principle. 

And  yet  there  is  a  code,  recognized  in  all 
times,  under  the  tenets  of  which  they  stand  ex 
cused — the  code  of  military  necessity.  I  do 
not  include  under  this  term  the  appropriation  of 
skates  in  July,  of  birds  in  cages  and  of  bolts  of 
red  calico,  isolated  instances  of  which  are  recorded 
against  these  troopers,  who  seemed  eager  in  the 
first  stages  of  their  march  to  make  a  jest  of  their 
danger. 

What  I  do  hold  is  that  my  General  had  abun 
dant  precedent  for  the  gravest  acts  which  can 
justly  be  laid  at  his  door  as  commander  by  those 
who  suffered  at  his  hands.  And  I  ask  of  them,  in 


The  Coming  of  the  Provost     297 

that  good  spirit  which  has  since  come  to  smooth 
away  the  wrinkles  of  that  time  of  strife  and  wipe 
out  the  bitterness  then  aroused,  to  consider  the 
smoking  waste  along  the  Shenandoah  as  more 
than  compensation  for  their  losses. 

But  standing  in  the  very  presence  of  the  inva 
sion,  with  the  thud  of  hoofs,  the  rattle  of  sabers 
and  the  boom  of  cannon  yet  fresh  in  their  ears, 
and  the  earth  still  damp  and  yellow  over  the 
graves  of  valiant  defenders,  the  great  mass  of  the 
people  in  the  county  where  I  lay  might  have  little 
inclination  to  search  for  precedents,  whether  such 
be  usual  or  otherwise. 

It  was  fear  of  them  that  filled  Kate — fear,  not 
of  Lancross,  who  represented  authority,  but  of 
Griswold,  who  stood  for  the  right  of  the  people  to 
act  for  themselves,  independent  of  authority.  Was 
it  not  one  of  the  latter  class  who  had  attempted  to 
slay  her  brother? 

Thus  she  reasoned,  not  knowing  that  Griswold, 
with  natural  moderation,  had  already  done  much 
to  temper  the  feeling  against  her  poor,  bewil 
dered  brother ;  not  knowing  further,  as  she  could 
not,  indeed,  that  he  would  afterward  perform  the 
same  service  for  myself,  whose  escape  from  death 
was  by  such  a  narrow  margin  that  I  take  to  myself 
no  credit  for  living  at  all. 

When  I  pitched  from  my  horse  during  the  fight 
in  the  road  the  frightened  animal  had  dashed  into 
the  woods.  Young  Sam  Hollen,  returning  in 


298  The  Legionaries 

the  night  with  civilian  apparel  with  which  to 
clothe  his  wounded  brother  before  taking  him  to 
Button's  house,  who  had  agreed  to  harbor  him 
only  on  that  condition,  had  heard  a  groan.  In 
vestigation  disclosed  my  body  tightly  wedged  be 
tween  the  forks  of  a  large  log,  a  position  which 
had  no  doubt  been  instrumental  in  my  escape 
from  capture  as  well  as  from  the  entangling  stir 
rup,  which,  with  a  part  of  the  broken  strap,  was 
lying  at  my  feet. 

From  there,  during  the  night,  with  help  brought 
by  the  refugee,  I  was  conveyed  to  my  mother's 
house,  where  I  was  found  to  have  not  only  a  dan 
gerous  shot  wound  in  the  side,  but  a  broken  arm 
and  so  many  contusions  and  scratches  that  it  was 
not  thought  profitable  to  take  account  of  them. 

Captain  Sivad,  with  the  larger  part  of  his  small 
force,  had  got  away,  but  many  remained,  and  of 
these  some  were  beyond  mortal  aid,  as  were  like 
wise  some  of  their  opponents.  Heaven  pity  us 
for  those  days !  A  young  Union  officer  had 
scrutinized  every  face  carefully,  the  lad  said  to 
me  when  I  was  able  to  hear  his  story,  and 
seemed  surprised  and  yet  relieved  when  one  for 
whom  he  was  apparently  looking  was  not  found. 
That,  thought  I,  was  Philip  Deverny. 

The  provost's  deputy,  feeling  it  to  be  his  hu 
mane,  if  not  official,  duty  to  acquaint  my  mother 
with  what  he  supposed  to  be  the  fact  of  her  son's 
death,  went  straight  to  her  door  in  pursuance  of 


The  Coming  of  the  Provost     299 

his  melancholy  mission,  and  inquiring  for  her, 
was  shown  in  and  seated  until  she  could  be  called. 
She  was  not  long  in  coming,  and  there  was  that 
in  her  face  which  showed  that  she  was  in  deep 
trouble,  causing  Lancross  to  think  that  possibly 
she  had  already  heard  what  he  had  come  to  say. 
He  was  unknown  to  her  and  introduced  himself. 

"Madam,"  he  said,  "I  am  Francis  Lancross, 
deputy  provost  for  this  district." 

She  bowed  and  was  silent,  her  hand  upon  her 
heart,  which  began  a  painful  beating  when  he  re 
vealed  his  official  character. 

"I  have  come  to  speak  to  you  about  your  son, 
and  my  duty  is  a  most  unhappy  one,"  he  con 
tinued. 

"Oh,  sir,"  she  cried  at  this,  "you  certainly 
do  not  mean  to  disturb  him;  he  can  not  be 
moved  yet." 

"I  do  not  understand,"  said  the  deputy, 
greatly  puzzled.  "I — I  have  nothing  to  do  with 
removing  him ;  that  is  a  matter  for  you  to  de 
termine.  I  did  not  know  that  you  had  heard. 
Pardon  me  for  adding  to  your  distress.  My  sole 
purpose  was  to  perform  a  painful  service." 

"Nor  do  I  understand,"  said  my  mother,  her 
face  showing  a  deeper  perplexity,  but  determined 
to  solve  the  riddle,  the  relating  of  which  to  me 
afterward  caused  an  amusement  that,  I  am  sure, 
did  not  do  my  wounds  any  good.  "We  are 
clearly  at  cross-purposes.  You  speak  with  great 


300  The  Legionaries 

kindness,  sir,  and  I  thank  you  for  that.  But 
what  would  you  tell  me  about  my  son?" 

"Only  of  his  death,  of  which  sad  fact  you  seem 
to  be  already  informed,"  replied  the  deputy,  ris 
ing.  "My  intrusion  was  well  meant,  madam, 
and  that  must  be  my  excuse  for  troubling  you." 

"Stay,"  she  said,  with  a  detaining  gesture,  as 
he  was  about  to  go.  "My  son  is  dangerously  in 
jured  but  not  dead,  and  he  exacted  a  promise 
from  me  this  morning  that  if  one  in  authority 
should  come  he  was  to  be  told  of  it.  I  did  not 
think  it  wise,  but  you  know  that  a  mother's  heart 
and  a  son's  head  are  not  always  in  accord." 

Saying  nothing,  for  his  amazement  was  so  pro 
found  that  he  could  formulate  no  fitting  speech, 
and  with  a  strong  doubt  of  Bracken's  trustworth 
iness,  he  waited  while  my  mother,  excusing  her 
self,  came  up  the  stairs  to  notify  me  of  his  pres 
ence.  At  my  request,  and  only  staying  long 
enough  to  tell  me  the  nature  of  his  mission,  she 
returned  below  and  showed  the  visitor  up. 

"I  am  told  that  you  are  Mr.  Lancross^Jthe 
deputy  provost,"  I  said,  as  he  took  a  seat  near 
my  bedside,  looking  very  concerned  and  serious, 
as  if  half  disposed  to  take  me  for  some  strange 
kind  of  ghost. 

"I  am  that  person,"  he  answered,  as  if  his 
own  identity,  at  least,  was  not  doubtful;  "and  I 
suppose  that  you  are  Captain  Trenham,  lately 


The  Coming  of  the  Provost     301 

with  the  rebel  general  who  has  turned  us  upside 
down  around  here?" 

"The  same,  and  I  am  glad  to  see  you;  the 
more  so  because  I  am  told  that  you  do  not  visit 
us  officially. ' ' 

'  'The  meeting  is  very  unexpected  on  my  part, ' ' 
returned  the  deputy.  "Until  a  few  minutes  ago 
I  had  reason  to  believe  that  I  would  never  have 
the  pleasure  of  looking  upon  your  face.  Captain 
Bracken's  report  was  very  unfavorable,  indeed." 

In  spite  of  my  many  pains  I  was  forced  to 
smile.  Bandaged  and  plastered,  and  unsightly  as 
I  knew  myself  to  be,  his  pleasure  at  seeing  me 
then  could  not  have  been  great,  and  so  I  told 
him,  in  jest,  which  set  him  to  laughing  and  put 
us  both  more  at  our  ease.  A  bit  of  humor  is  often 
very  useful  by  way  of  laying  a  foundation  for  se 
rious  things,  and  I  had  a  trouble  that  I  much  de 
sired  to  get  rid  of.  It  was  about  my  person.  I 
could  neither  get  away  nor  hope  to  remain  long 
undiscovered,  and  so  I  surrendered  to  him  then 
and  there  and  asked  that  he  arrange  for  my  pa 
role.  This  he  agreed  to  do,  and  afterward  for 
mally  executed  the  agreement.  It  was  the  best 
I  could  do,  not  what  I  wished.  But  it  took  a 
great  load  off  the  mind  of  my  mother,  who  for 
two  days  had  trembled  and  turned  pale  every 
time  she  heard  the  grind  of  a  wheel  or  the  step  of 
a  horse's  foot,  and  for  that  much,  at  least,  I  was 
thankful. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  RIDE  OF  THE  THREE  THOUSAND. 

MY  active  career  as  a  soldier  was  at  an  end,  ax 
time  proved,  but  it  chanced  that  I  was  to  play  a 
part — small  though  it  was — in  the  closing  act  of 
the  ill-starred  enterprise  by  which  so  many  were 
undone.  Of  that  I  shall  speak;  but  before  I  do 
so  I  must  tell  how  it  fared  with  those  from  whom  I 
had  been  separated  by  the  treachery  of  Vawter. 

So  far  as  concerned  that  locality  where  my 
mother  lived  I  had  been  willing  enough  to  remain 
more  an  on-looker  than  to  be  a  participant  in 
events.  But  once  beyond  it  I  can  truthfully  as 
sert  that  I  would  have  taken  my  place  with  my 
fellows  without  any  qualms  of  conscience,  and 
with  no  motive  for  action  other  than  the  com 
mands  of  my  General.  As  it  is,  it  almost  seems 
to  me — so  keen  was  my  interest — that  I  galloped 
with  them  along  the  roads  by  which  they  made 
their  desperate  progress,  and  that  I  participated 
in  the  misfortunes  by  which  they  were  at  last 
overwhelmed. 

The  advance  felt  its  way  toward  Corydon  that 
first  morning  in  Indiana,  and  well  in  front  were 
(302) 


The  Ride  of  the  Three  Thousand    303 

my  own  men,  contrary  to  what  I  had  planned  for 
them.  But  of  that  they  were  ignorant.  A  few 
hundred  legionaries,  with  a  courage  far  greater 
than  their  strength,  sought  to  check  this  audacious 
rebel  host.  From  their  rude,  hastily  constructed 
breastworks  they  sent  forth  a  very  gallant  fire. 
But  it  was  snuffed  out  like  a  match  in  a  tempest, 
and  the  men  who  pulled  the  triggers  were  first 
enveloped  in  the  cloud  of  gray,  then  disarmed 
and  cast  aside.  This  was  the  first  obstacle  since 
the  invasion  was  accomplished.  And  how  soon  it 
came !  Though  failing  to  do  more,  it  did  cause 
a  little  delay,  and  delay  in  such  a  situation  is 
everything.  Even  then  the  thousands  of  blue- 
garbed  pursuers  were  at  Brandenburg. 

Onward !  Through  the  town  clattered  the 
rebel  hoofs  and  rumbled  the  rebel  cannon,  and 
the  great  game  of  "fox  and  geese"  was  under 
way.  What  a  fluttering  of  wings  there  was,  what 
consternation,  and  yet  what  a  determination  arose 
to  run  this  gray  fox  to  earth ! 

The  next  morning,  Salem,  fifty  miles  inland, 
and  two  hundred  removed  from  any  hope  of  help  ! 
Already  thousands  had  hurried  to  arms  and  other 
thousands  were  concentrating  for  hasty  equip 
ment.  Behind,  the  roads  shook  with  the  tread 
of  the  cavalry  that  had  followed  from  the  South. 
Against  this  one,  a  dozen  generals  were  laying 
plans,  organizing  and  transporting  forces.  Half- 
frantic  telegrams  were  passing  over  the  hot  wires 


304  The  Legionaries 

between  Louisville,  Indianapolis  and  Cincinnati, 
and  countless  lesser  places.  Alarm  bells  were 
ringing  in  every  town  and  village  and  hamlet. 

The  enemy  must  be  cornered.  But  the  gray 
fox  knew  how  to  turn  and  to  wind  in  and  out, 
never  losing  his  direction.  And  he  also  knew 
how  to  show  his  teeth.  Reports  of  his  move 
ments  conflicted  and  put  him  first  here  and  then 
there,  and  the  bewildered  foes  knew  not  where 
to  strike.  They  made  ready  at  many  places  and 
moved  according  to  their  information.  Coun 
try  people  and  townsmen  along  the  invader's 
track  were  in  a  state  of  alarm  bordering  on  panic. 
Not  accustomed  to  beholding  any  considerable 
body  of  soldiers,  and  none  that  were  hostile,  they 
vastly  overrated  the  numbers  of  my  General's 
men.  Besides,  they  were  expecting  to  have 
their  throats  cut,  and  an  expectation  of  this 
character  is  not  conducive  to  a  calm  judgment  of 
things  and  events. 

On  and  on,  under  the  blazing  summer  sun, 
with  little  sleep  and  little  rest !  As  by  magic,  the 
whole  population  knew  that  three  thousand  horse 
men  were  running  a  race — the  most  astounding 
race  in  history — with  death  or  captivity  the  pen 
alty  for  losing;  a  race  with  the  telegraph  and 
steam  cars,  and  the  unnumbered  foes  that  growled 
about  them  and  behind  them  and  forced  them 
on.  And  far  ahead  other  hosts  were  gathering 


The  Ride  of  the  Three  Thousand    305 

to  harry  them  and  to  drive  them  this  way  and 
that. 

The  atmosphere  was  charged  with  excitement 
and  fear,  and  danger  lurked  everywhere.  Un- 
harvested  wheat  stood  over-ripe  and  neglected  in 
the  fields.  Husbandmen  had  suddenly  become 
soldiers,  and  in  masses  were  being  rushed  here 
and  there  along  the  invader's  track.  Never  did 
pioneers  work  with  such  desperate  energy  clear 
ing  the  primeval  forests  as  did  men  now  work  to 
block  with  felled  trees  the  roads  that  they  had 
taken  such  pains  to  make.  The  sound  of  the 
ax,  the  crash  of  falling  trees,  mingled  with  the 
shouts  of  men,  the  clatter  of  shod  hoofs  and  the 
crack  of  guns.  Far  aloft  spread  the  smoke  of 
burning  bridges,  destroyed  by  the  General  to 
hinder  his  enemies. 

The  fox  must  be  hemmed  in.  But  not  yet 
was  it  to  be.  He  did  not  fear  the  legionaries  or 
raw  recruits,  numberless  as  they  were.  It  was 
the  foe  behind,  and  those  other  well-trained  sol 
diers  hastening  up  from  the  war  region  and  rising 
like  a  cloud  far  in  his  front,  for  whom  he  was  on 
the  lookout.  The  broad  river  was  on  his  right 
hand,  and  it  was  now  alive  with  armed  craft  ready 
to  pounce  upon  him  if  he  should  attempt  to  re- 
cross.  On  his  left,  for  hundreds  of  miles  to  the 
northward,  was  a  country  filled  with  enemies  de 
siring  his  destruction.  In  opposition  to  these  con 
ditions  was  the  fertile  brain  and  daring  spirit  of 


306  The  Legionaries 

one  man  and  the  strong  arms  of  his  faithful  fol 
lowers. 

North  Vernon,  Versailles  and  Sunman  Station ! 
It  was  now  Monday  morning,  and  four  days  since 
the  river  was  crossed — days  of  hard  riding  and 
strategy,  with  scant  time  for  rest.  The  beginning 
of  a  new  week ;  what  would  the  end  of  it  be  ?  The 
air  was  filled  now  with  murmurings  of  rapidly 
concentrating  foes  pouring  forward  from  the  mid 
dle  North  in  excited  streams  like  the  rising  tides 
of  the  sea.  The  alarm  bells  had  aroused  the 
people.  From  shop  and  store  and  field,  from 
office  and  counting  room,  they  came,  eager,  un 
tried,  and  with  nerves  tremulous  with  tension. 

What  way  would  the  fox  turn  ?  He  did  not  turn . 
Straight  ahead  he  rode,  passing  the  Indiana  bor 
der  and  thundering  upon  the  highways  of  Ohio. 
And  now  ninety  miles  in  a  day  and  a  night  he 
went,  while  on  his  right  two  Unionist  forces,  each 
in  the  darkness  believing  the  other  to  be  the  in 
vader,  fell  into  furious  conflict  and  drenched  the 
soil  they  were  there  to  defend  with  their  own 
blood. 

On  and  on  he  swept,  brushing  aside  one  foe  and 
eluding  another,  defying  the  telegraph,  the  steam 
cars,  the  dozen  generals,  the  swarming  thousands 
— night  and  day,  day  and  night.  His  men  were  of 
iron,  but  iron  will  break  when  eaten  by  rust, 
and  into  these  men  was  eating  the  rust  of  tre 
mendous  exertion  without  rest.  There  was  no 


The  Ride  of  the  Three  Thousand    307 

time  for  recuperation,  no  time  to  replace  the  vi 
tality  that  was  being  constantly  expended. 

A  few  of  the  weaker  dropped  from  their  sad 
dles  and  were  picked  up  from  the  wayside  by  pur 
suers,  some  of  whom  were  now  treading  on  their 
very  heels.  At  halts  others  fell  into  the  slumber 
of  exhaustion  from  which  their  officers  could 
arouse  them  with  difficulty.  But  once  in  the  sad 
dle  again,  they  pressed  on  with  mocking  laughter 
for  their  foes  and  hearts  beating  high  with  cour 
age.  Their  chief  was  in  the  van,  and  what  he 
could  endure  they  would  endure,  and  where  he 
led  they  would  follow  as  long  as  they  could  keep 
their  leaden  feet  in  the  stirrups. 

On,  for  six  days  more,  through  storm  and  shine 
they  rode.  It  was  the  first  day  of  a  new  week, 
Sunday.  They  had  drawn  toward  the  river  Ohio, 
now  in  unseasonable  flood,  a  yellow,  rushing, 
foaming  barrier  between  them  and  the  more  friend 
ly  Kentucky.  It  seemed  that  God  was  against 
them.  Here  was  Buffington  Island  where  the 
General  had  thought  to  cross,  but  here  also  his 
enemies  lay  in  wait  to  thwart  him,  to  drive  him 
back.  And  here  they  fought,  these  wearied  men 
— these  men  almost  dead  in  their  saddles — with 
these  others,  fought  and  died.  On  again,  but 
there  were  hundreds  of  their  fellows  who  could  not 
follow. 

Only  twelve  hundred  were  left  of  the  three 
thousand.  But  the  foe  followed,  that  foe  which 


308  The  Legionaries 

crossed  at  Brandenburg,  as  determined  and  hardy  as 
the  quarry  he  was  pursuing.  And  other  opposers 
poured  forth  from  every  town  and  village  and 
middle-west  army  post,  on  foot  and  horseback 
and  railway  train.  They  patrolled  the  highways ; 
they  watched  from  hill  and  tree  top ;  and  they 
waited  in  wood  and  field  the  coming  of  the  pre 
sumptuous  rebel. 

A  great  roar  filled  the  midsummer  air,  grow 
ing  louder  day  by  day.  The  earth  shook  under 
the  tramp  of  new  legions.  All  business  was  sus 
pended.  Nothing  was  thought  of  but  the  raider 
who  for  weeks  had  eluded  and  baffled  his  enemies 
in  three  states,  and  turned  upon  himself  the  eyes 
of  millions.  For  his  splendid  courage  he  was 
lauded ;  for  his  blindness  he  was  condemned.  He 
was  foredoomed  to  failure  and  disaster,  but  he 
was  winning  the  future  admiration  of  the  world, 
and  the  present  respect  of  those  who  were  strain 
ing  every  nerve  and  muscle  and  brain  cell  to 
bring  about  his  overthrow.  But  not  yet  was  it 
accomplished. 

The  same  day,  twenty  miles  above  Buffington 
Island  he  came  again  to  the  margin  of  the  broad 
river.  Here  he  resolved  to  breast  its  sweeping 
flood.  Orders  were  given  and  the  men  rode  in 
as  they  would  ride  upon  the  green  sward  or  upon 
the  dusty  road,  reckless  of  risk  and  danger. 
Those  in  advance  were  far  out  toward  the  south 
ern  shore  when  the  gunboats  of  the  Federals 


The  Ride  of  the  Three  Thousand    309 

suddenly  appeared.  The  General  himself  was  in 
midstream,  his  powerful  horse  swimming  gal 
lantly.  Looking  back,  he  saw  that  it  was  impos 
sible  for  the  rest  of  his  command  to  effect  a  pas 
sage  of  the  stream  in  the  teeth  of  the  enemy's  fire 
that  was  now  being  directed  against  them,  against 
him  and  those  about  him,  against  those  others 
now  nearing  the  green  soil  of  Kentucky.  He 
guided  his  horse  around  and  went  back  in  the 
hail  of  shot,  to  remain  with  the  remnant  of  his 
command  to  the  end. 

Only  eight  hundred  were  now  left  to  him  of  the 
three  thousand,  and  these  eight  hundred  pressed 
on  again.  The  sun  went  down  but  still  they 
pressed  on,  through  the  twilight  and  into  the 
night  to  a  point  off  Blennerhasset's  Island,  where 
three  score  years  before  Aaron  Burr  unfolded  to 
the  English  scholar  his  plans  for  a  southwestern 
empire. 

Not  so  quiet  as  then  were  these  somber  shores. 
Coming  from  all  directions,  even  from  the  south 
where  lay  the  river,  its  bosom  shimmering  under 
the  lights  of  the  armed  patrols,  were  the  pursu 
ing  hunters,  who  now  believed  that  the  object  of 
the  chase  was  surrounded  and  without  chance  of 
escape.  They  moved  in  and  shut  off  all  means 
of  egress,  save  on  one  side  where  an  abrupt  moun 
tain  barred  the  way  like  a  mighty  wall  which  no 
man,  they  thought,  would  dare  attempt  to  scale. 
One  man  did  dare  and  eight  hundred  followed,  in 


310  The  Legionaries 

single  file,  in  the  darkness.  Up  and  up,  stum 
bling,  falling;  up  and  up,  winding  around,  and 
then  down  and  down  and  away,  while  the  foe 
awaited  the  coming  of  the  dawn  to  finish  the 
work  of  destruction. 

On  again,  toward  the  east,  rode  these  men  so 
desperately  tired  and  so  desperately  beset.  For 
six  days  more  they  moved,  sometimes  thrown  to 
the  right  or  to  the  left,  sometimes  hurled  back, 
hampered,  harrassed,  but  forward  toward  the 
east.  A  cloud  of  dust  marked  their  march  and 
revealed  their  presence,  and  other  clouds  of  dust 
rose  to  mark  the  paths  of  the  hunters. 

It  is  incredible  that  men  can  endure  what  these 
men  suffered.  They  were  in  the  saddle  twenty- 
one  hours  out  of  each  twenty-four.  From  day  to 
day  they  were  killed  or  captured,  singly  or  in 
groups.  Everywhere  they  were  met  by  fresh 
companies  of  legionaries  which  swarmed  and 
buzzed  about  them,  and  often  darted  upon  the 
flanks  or  upon  the  rear  and  stung.  The  uproar 
and  confusion  increased;  the  shouts  of  men,  the 
trampling  of  hoofs,  the  rattle  of  equipment,  and 
the  guns  and  sabers  of  the  on-rushing  thousands 
flashed  and  gleamed  in  the  blistering  sun. 

But  the  grim  man  in  gray  rode  on.  Until  he  was 
overthrown  there  would  be  no  rest  for  pursuers 
or  pursued.  What  mattered  it  that  his  force  had 
been  bitten  and  torn  until  only  a  weary  fragment 
remained?  It  was  the  leader  who  was  important, 


The  Ride  of  the  Three  Thousand    31 1 

not  his  followers — this  bold  chieftain  who  so  often 
had  ridden  far  and  wide  unchecked.  And  just  now 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  the  great  Lin 
coln,  was  making  anxious  inquiries  as  to  his  where 
abouts. 

Another  Sunday  dawned,  the  26th  of  July.  Far 
in  eastern  Ohio  rode  three  hundred  men — three 
hundred  of  the  three  thousand,  and  many  of  these, 
feverish  almost  to  delirium  from  wounds  received 
in  fierce  fights  on  previous  days,  reeled  in  their 
saddles  as  they  went.  They  were  two  miles  be 
yond  the  village  of  Gavers,  the  General  at  the  front 
of  his  scant  column. 

What  meant  that  hurtling  cloud  of  dust  ahead? 
And  what  meant  that  yellow  cloud  behind  and 
*hat  other  rising  over  the  Highlandtown  road? 
Nearer  and  nearer  approached  these  signs  of  the 
enemy.  The  scant  column  came  to  a  halt,  and, 
as  it  did  so,  across  the  fields  dashed  the  Unionist 
cavalry.  From  every  direction,  it  seemed,  they 
streamed  toward  these  hunted  men  in  such  num 
bers  that  it  was  folly  to  resist. 

The  gray  fox  was  cornered  at  last  in  the  open, 
but  he  had  led  a  long  chase.  He  surrendered  to  a 
man  believed  by  him  to  be  a  captain  of  militia, 
and  made  quick  terms  for  parole.  These  terms 
the  Union  general  would  not  allow,  whereupon 
Morgan  demanded  that  he  be  put  upon  the  field 
again  where  he  was,  and  avowed  that  he  would 
fight  them  to  the  end.  But  this  was  the  end;  the 


312  The  Legionaries 

race  had  been  run.  Beneath  his  horse's  feet  five 
hundred  heart-breaking  miles  had  sped.  The 
telegraph,  the  steam  cars,  the  dozen  generals,  the 
swarming  thousands,  had  won,  and  for  the  losers 
who  lived  there  was  only  the  prison. 

Was  anything  accomplished  by  them  save  their 
own  destruction?  I  will  answer,  yes;  the  victory 
six  weeks  later  by  Bragg' s  Confederate  army  in 
the  great  battle  of  Chickamauga,  when  the  two 
forces  there  engaged  lost  more  than  thirty  thou 
sand  men. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  HELP  OF  A  STRONG  MAN 

IT  was  these  things  that  were  happening,  these 
and  so  many  more,  while  I  was  complaining  of 
my  own  poor  ills.  Even  to  my  ears,  secluded  as  I 
was,  from  time  to  time  came  word  of  the  bitter  prog 
ress  of  my  comrades.  But  for  many  days  reports 
were  so  meager  and  unsatisfactory  that  I  could  not 
make  head  or  tail  of  them.  When  the  end  came, 
however,  and  the  news  was  flashed  from  city  to 
town,  and  thence  to  hamlet  and  farmstead,  that 
the  bold  and  far-famed  raider  was  a  prisoner  in 
Ohio,  the  middle  North  sent  forth  a  shout  of  re 
joicing  that  I  could  understand,  but  in  which  I 
could  not  join. 

Far  and  near  the  heavens  were  alight  with  the 
bonfires  of  victory,  and  cannon  and  anvil  thun 
dered  and  crashed  in  very  joy  over  my  General's 
capture.  I  did  not  blame  them — these  people  of 
the  North — as  I  am  sure  he  did  not.  We  are  all 
disposed  to  make  the  most  of  our  successes,  and 
when  the  war  spirit  is  on  us  we  are  likely  to  give 
extravagant  expression  to  our  feelings.  But  I  think 
I  might  have  been  spared  the  experience — though 
(313) 


314  The  Legionaries 

I  was  in  a  manner  responsible  for  it — to  which  I 
was  subjected  for  being  one  of  the  invaders. 
During  the  progress  of  the  raid  my  short  connec 
tion  with  it  had  apparently  been  overlooked. 
Now  I  was  to  be  suddenly  remembered  and 
made  disagreeably  conspicuous  at  a  time  when, 
had  I  been  allowed  to  make  a  choice,  I  would 
have  remained  in  the  retirement  to  which  my 
misadventures  had  consigned  me. 

Less  than  two  miles  away,  at  the  crossing  of 
the  roads,  stood,  in  one  angle,  a  school-house  and 
in  another  a  blacksmith  shop.  No  other  build 
ings  were  near  except  the  house  of  the  smith,  yet 
it  was  the  favorite  meeting  place  for  the  country 
folk  round  about.  Here  it  was  that  they  heard 
political  speeches,  and  here  it  was,  also,  that  they 
gathered  to  consult  together  about  the  state  of  the 
war  and  to  celebrate  victories  achieved  by  the 
Union  arms. 

At  the  celebrations  the  smith's  anvils  were  used 
as  a  substitute  for  cannon  in  noise-making,  and 
these  I  heard  one  night  as  I  sat,  still  bandaged 
and  sore,  on  my  mother's  porch.  My  broken 
arm  was  useless  and  would  so  remain  for  many  a 
day,  but  the  wound  in  my  side  had  healed  so 
rapidly  that  I  felt  no  further  danger  from  it.  The 
night  being  very  warm  and  dry,  I  had  determined 
to  stay  up  as  late  as  I  dared  rather  than  endure 
the  confinement  of  my  room. 

The  distant  explosions  under  the  anvils  boomed 


The  Help  of  a  Strong  Man     315 

out  now  and  then,  showing  that  much  powder 
was  being  burned.  Between  them,  and  less  dis 
tinctly,  came  sounds  of  cheering.  To  me  these 
noises  aroused  melancholy  reflections,  as  may 
well  be  believed,  but  along  with  them  came  a 
feeling  of  relief  that  the  strain  was  over,  and  a 
satisfaction  in  knowing  that  my  one  arm  would 
have  availed  nothing  at  last. 

Presently  the  sound  of  wheels  coming  furiously 
up  the  lane  took  my  attention.  A  carriage  stopped 
at  the  gate  and  some  one  sprang  out  and  ran  to 
ward  the  house.  It  was  Kate  Bellray. 

' ' Is  Roger  here  ? ' '  she  asked  without  ceremony, 
pausing  at  the  steps.  It  was  not  light  enough 
where  she  stood  to  see  her  face  clearly,  but  her 
voice  showed  great  agitation. 

"No,"  said  I,  wondering,  as  I  got  to  my  feet 
and  went  forward,  "nor  has  he  been  to-day." 

For  a  moment  she  stood  hesitating,  as  if  unde 
cided  what  to  do,  while  I,  knowing  that  Bell- 
ray  never  went  forth  now  unless  accompanied  by 
some  one  from  his  household,  began  to  feel  deep 
concern. 

"John,  what  can  it  mean?"  asked  his  sister, 
plainly  showing  increased  distress.  "I  came 
home  from  the  Wests'  a  little  while  ago,  and 
found  Roger  gone.  Aunt  had  seen  him  walking 
toward  the  road  with  another  man  just  before 
dark,  but  thought  nothing  of  that,  as  he  often 
goes  that  far,  and,  besides,  she  thought  the  man 


3i 6  The  Legionaries 

might  be  Sutton.  A  few  minutes  later  she  saw 
him  clambering  into  some  sort  of  a  conveyance, 
which  then  drove  rapidly  away.  He  went  off 
with  no  one  from  our  place,  we  learned,  and  as 
he  seldom  wants  to  go  anywhere  but  here,  I 
thought — oh,  I  don't  know  what  to  think.  Where 
do  you  imagine  he  can  have  gone?  Think  for 
me,  John.  He  is  no  more  fit  to  be  abroad  than 
a  child." 

I  was  in  as  much  doubt  as  she,  and  was  about 
to  tell  her  so,  and  yet  beg  her  not  to  feel  any 
alarm,  when,  through  the  silence  that  had  ensued, 
came  the  booming  of  the  anvils. 

"Can  he  be  there?"  she  said,  suddenly.  "I  can 
think  of  no  other  place.  But  if  he  is  somebody 
took  him,  and  he  will  not  understand  it  at  all.  I 
will  go  there."  With  this,  she  started  off. 

"Wait,"  I  exclaimed;  "who  is  out  there  in 
the  carriage?" 

"The  young  refugee,  Sam  Hollen." 

"I  will  go  with  you,"  I  said. 

"You  must  not  do  anything  of  the  kind,"  she 
returned  firmly.  "You  are  not  strong  yet,  and 
those  people  are  not  your  friends.  They  are  re 
joicing  over  the  downfall  of  your  General." 

"Nevertheless  if  you  go,  so  shall  I.  No  harm 
will  befall  me." 

Without  further  ado,  I  took  my  hat  from  the 
chair  on  which  I  had  flung  it  and  walked  down 
the  path,  giving  no  further  heed  to  her  contin- 


The  Help  of  a  Strong  Man     317 

ued  and  almost  vehement  remonstrances.  Once 
through  the  gate,  she  ran  forward  and  sprang 
into  the  vehicle. 

"Quick,  Sam;   drive  on,"  she  cried. 

But  the  refugee,  not  understanding  her  purpose 
to  outwit  me,  and  being  deliberate  at  best  in  his 
mental  processes,  delayed  long  enough  for  me  to 
reach  and  enter  the  carriage.  Then  he  started 
down  the  lane,  having  previously  turned  about. 
Kate  had  not  yet  yielded,  however,  for  as  we 
neared  the  road  she  leaned  forward  and  spoke  to 
the  boy. 

"Drive  home;  you  can  then  return  with  Cap 
tain  Trenham,"  she  said,  in  despair  over  my  ob 
stinacy,  and  still  bent  on  having  her  way. 

"Miss  Bellray  has  forgotten,"  I  put  in,  affect 
ing  a  laugh,  which,  however,  I  did  with  an  effort. 
"We  go  first  to  the  celebration  for  Mr.  Bellray 
and  then  home." 

The  boy  looked  over  his  shoulder  at  his  mis 
tress.  She  said  nothing,  and  taking  her  silence 
for  acquiescence  in  my  amendment  he  turned  the 
horses'  heads  in  that  direction.  In  the  road  he 
whipped  up  smartly  and  we  made  very  good 
speed.  A  quarter  of  an  hour  brought  us  within 
plain  view  of  the  illumination.  People  were  mov 
ing  about  in  the  glare,  men  and  women,  and  dart 
ing  in  and  out  among  them  were  the  smaller 
forms  of  children.  Less  frequently  came  the  ex- 


3i 8  The  Legionaries 

plosions  of  powder  and  when  we  had  drawn  nearer 
they  ceased  altogether. 

The  people  seemed  to  be  crowding  toward  one 
side  of  the  road,  save  the  children  who  still  played 
about  the  flaming  heap  which  was  not  allowed  to 
die  out  for  the  want  of  feeding.  The  rude  plat 
form  from  which  the  orators  were  accustomed  to 
address  their  listeners  in  fair  weather  was  sur 
rounded  by  a  hundred  or  more  persons  when  we 
came  upon  the  scene  and  stopped  a  little  way  off. 
A  man  whom  I  did  not  recognize  was  speaking 
from  the  platform,  upon  which  were  seated  several 
other  men.  An  exclamation  of  surprise  from  my 
companion  drew  my  eyes  to  her  face,  which  was 
pale  and  quivering  with  anger. 

"Look!"  said  she;  "there  is  Roger — on  the 
platform.  They  have  brought  him  here  to  ridi 
cule  him." 

Before  I  could  even  attempt  to  restrain  her 
she  had  jumped  from  the  vehicle  and  was  push 
ing  her  way  through  the  crowd.  I  then  heard 
Roger's  name  pronounced  by  the  speaker,  who 
retired  and  Roger  moved  slowly  toward  the  front 
of  the  platform,  where  he  stood  silent  for  a  mo 
ment.  I  got  out  and  walked  nearer,  smothering 
with  indignation  at  the  cruel  joke,  for  it  could  be 
nothing  else,  of  which  the  poor  man  was  being 
made  a  butt.  Kate  was  lost  in  the  crowd  some 
where,  no  doubt  righting  her  way  to  the  plat 
form,  and  I,  powerless  to  help  her,  stood  in  my 


The  Help  of  a  Strong  Man     319 

place  mortified  beyond  anything  that  ever  hap 
pened  to  me. 

"My  friends,"  it  was  Bellray's  voice,  "I  am 
told  that  you  are  ratifying  your  great  victory.  I 
don't  know  just  why  I  should  be  here,  as  I  voted 
for  Mr.  Douglas,  but  if  Mr.  Lincoln  can  prevent 
the  coming  of  war,  I  shall  be  satisfied."  Here 
some  of  the  men  laughed,  the  one  who  had  in 
troduced  him  the  loudest  of  all ;  but  the  speaker 
went  on:  "Just  now,  however,  I  am  one  of  the 
defeated."  More  laughter  came  from  a  few, 
mingled  with  groans,  and  shouts  of  "copper 
head"  and  "butternut,"  but  of  these  words  he 
did  not  seem  to  know  the  significance,  and  contin 
ued  :  '  'We  fought  you  as  hard  as  we  could — ' ' 

At  this  point  there  came  a  great  uproar  from 
the  crowd,  with  cries  of  "hang  the  traitor  and  be 
done  with  him."  Just  at  that  moment  Kate 
climbed  upon  the  platform  and  stood  beside  her 
brother,  her  face  as  white  as  the  dead.  Bellray, 
amazed  at  the  strange  reception  accorded  him, 
and  flushing  with  anger,  did  not  see  her  until  she 
laid  her  hand  on  his  arm.  At  the  unwonted  spec 
tacle  the  people  had  become  still,  and  to  their 
credit  I  will  say  that  I  believe  the  jest  was  the 
work  of  a  few  who,  in  this  monstrous  fashion, 
sought  to  humiliate  their  old  enemy.  Flashing 
a  look  of  scorn  and  defiance  at  those  below  her, 
she  turned  to  her  brother  and  said,  gently: 

"Come,  Roger;  we  will  go  home." 


320  The  Legionaries 

"Not  until  I  have  told  these  ruffians  what  I 
think  of  them,"  he  shouted  hoarsely.  "They 
called  me  a  traitor — didn't  you  hear? — called 
your  brother  a  traitor  and  want  to  hang  him." 

A  voice  was  saying  something  in  my  ear,  but 
so  strongly  did  what  was  before  my  eyes  hold 
my  attention  that  I  did  not  realize  it  until  I  felt 
my  shoulder  gripped  warningly.  Looking  around 
I  saw  that  it  was  Griswold. 

"Listen,  man;  go  back  to  your  conveyance. 
I  will  get  Bellray  there  in  a  moment.  You  were 
crazy  to  have  come,  and  wouldn't  be  here,  I 
suppose,  if  it  were  not  for  the  fools  who  brought 
him.  There  are  wild  fellows  here.  Go;  don't 
make  it  too  hard  for  me." 

I  was  unarmed,  but  had  it  been  otherwise,  I 
was  at  least  sensible  enough  to  know  that  Gris 
wold 's  advice  was  good.  Turning  my  eyes  again 
upon  the  platform  I  saw  that  it  was  deserted, 
and  the  crowd  surging  this  way  and  that,  the 
women  prudently  flying  to  the  outskirts  and  then 
across  the  road,  calling  their  children  as  they 
went  or  dragging  them  along  if  they  could  get 
them  in  hand. 

Lowering  looks  were  already  being  thrown  to 
ward  me  as  I  moved  slowly  in  the  direction  of  the 
carriage,  and  I  heard  the  words  "rebel"  and 
"raider"muttered  in  tones  anything  but  pleasant 
or  reassuring.  Many  men  carried  revolvers  in 
their  hands  as  if  expecting  an  outbreak,  and  the 


The  Help  of  a  Strong  Man     321 

weapons  glistened  ominously  in  the  firelight.  Some 
of  the  fellows  eyed  each  other  suspiciously.  In 
one  group  I  saw  Wysart  talking  to  the  man  who 
had  signaled  to  Vawter  in  the  cave.  Truly  they 
were  not  all  of  one  mind,  or,  if  so,  they  were  not 
well  enough  acquainted  to  know. 

That  one  untoward  act  would  precipitate  vio 
lence  was  beyond  doubt.  This  act  cool  heads 
were  at  work  to  prevent  and  none  more  strenu 
ously  or  discreetly  than  Griswold,  who  was  pick 
ing  his  way  through  the  crowd  with  Roger, 
Kate  following  closely.  Griswold  was  laughing 
and  calling  out  jestingly  to  one  and  another.  His 
assumed  good  humor  and  nonchalance  seemed  to 
have  a  mollifying  effect,  for  some  covertly  slipped 
their  weapons  into  their  pockets.  Behind  him, 
however,  jostled  a  large  number  of  men  with  still 
scowling  visages. 

I  stood  by  the  carriage  until  they  came  up  and 
then,  waiting  until  Roger  and  his  sister  had  en 
tered,  I  climbed  into  the  seat  with  the  refugee 
driver,  who  was  entirely  collected  and  impertur 
bable. 

"Good-night,  Bellray,  and  all  of  you,"  said 
Griswold,  cheerily,  "and  now,  my  lad,  away  you 
go." 

As  we  swung  round  into  the  road  two  or  three 
men  ran  out  and  caught  the  horses,  bringing 
them  suddenly  upon  their  haunches.  The  boy 
21 — LEGIONARIES. 


322  The  Legionaries 

seemed  to  arouse  suddenly  and  lifted  his  whip, 
and  at  the  same  moment  several  other  men  rushed 
snarling  up  to  the  side  of  the  carriage.  Before  I 
knew  what  they  were  about  I  was  pulled  violently 
from  my  seat  just  as  the  whip  descended  upon 
the  frightened  horses,  which,  rinding  their  heads 
now  free,  and  the  way  clear  before  them,  sprang 
snorting  forward. 

Still  feeble  and  crippled  from  my  former  inju 
ries,  I  could  make  but  a  sorry  defense  against  the 
assault.  But  the  little  that  I  could  do  I  did. 
Wrenching  my  sound  arm  free,  I  seized  one  of 
my  assailants  by  his  hairy  throat,  and  gave  it 
such  a  squeeze  that  he  pulled  and  tore  at  my 
wrist  while  gurgling  with  fear  and  suffocation. 

In  my  fury  I  held  on,  knowing  that  I  was  be 
ing  struck  at  from  all  sides,  and  conscious  that 
some  wretch  was  crying  wildly  for  the  others  to 
give  him  a  chance  to  shoot  me.  The  powerful 
form  of  Griswold  was  forcing  itself  toward  me,  as 
I  could  see  by  the  swaying  of  the  jammed  mass 
of  men  in  front,  and  he  presently  got  to  my 
side.  Shouldering  my  would-be  executioners  out 
of  his  way  as  if  they  had  been  so  many  sacks  of 
straw,  he  raised  his  two  hands ;  one  he  held  out 
warningly,  and  in  the  other  was  a  large  revolver. 

"I    will    kill    the  man  who    strikes  the    next 
blow,"  he  said,  in  a  voice  as  hard  as  flint.   "Cap 
tain,  let  go  of  that  man." 

Unconsciously    I   had    retained    my  desperate 


The  Help  of  a  Strong  Man     323 

clutch  upon  the  fellow's  neck  and  he  was  purple 
in  the  face  from  the  effects  of  the  strangling.  I 
released  him  at  once,  being  myself  half  blind 
from  the  blood  that  was  running  from  a  wound  in 
my  scalp.  Evidently  no  one  was  prepared  to 
defy  the  stern  man  who  held  his  weapon  so 
steadily,  for,  as  if  by  common  consent,  they 
crowded  backward,  leaving  a  cleared  space  about 
us.  All  save  the  one  that  I  had  held,  and  he 
merely  stood  stroking  his  throat  and  gasping. 
Then  for  the  first  time  I  recognized  in  this  man 
the  one  who  had  persuaded  Roger  to  speak. 

"Serves  you  just  right,  Durring;  if  anything, 
you  don't  get  what  you  deserve,"  said  Griswold, 
rebukingly.  "If  you  hadn't  been  idiot  enough 
to  bring  Bellray  here  Trenham  wouldn't  have 
come.  He  came  with  Miss  Bellray  to  take  her 
brother  away  and  not  in  foolish  defiance  of  you 
fellows.  And  listen,  all  of  you ;  he  is  going  home 
without  another  scratch,  and  myself  and  my  men 
— do  you  understand? — are  going  to  see  that  he 
is  let  alone  as  long  as  he  behaves  himself.  It 
shan't  be  said  that  any  decent  man  need  fear  lo 
live  in  Harrison  county — not  if  Dave  Griswold 
can  prevent  it.  Now  clear  out,  you  there  in  the 
road  ;  we  are  going  that  way." 

Thoroughly  cowed  by  this  forceful  man,  whom 
it  was  clear  they  all  knew  and  either  respected  or 
feared — possibly  both — they  made  room  for  us  to 
pass.  A  hundred  yards  down  the  road  the  Bell- 


324  The  Legionaries 

ray  carriage  had  been  stopped.  As  we  ap 
proached,  Kate,  who  was  already  upon  the 
ground  in  a  frenzy  of  apprehension  and  anger, 
ran  forward  to  meet  us,  with  exclamations  of  de 
light  and  relief  at  my  safety,  but  not  forgetting 
in  the  least  to  thank  my  companion  for  his  part 
in  the  night's  dangers.  Roger  leaned  weakly  out 
of  the  vehicle. 

"It's  all  most  extraordinary,  Griswold;  I  don't 
understand  it,"  he  said.  "To  treat  me  like  that 
when  I  attended  their  meeting  to  ratify  Mr.  Lin 
coln's  election  merely  through  courtesy.  You 
and  I  have  never  agreed,  Dave,  but  you  at  least 
have  always  been  a  gentleman." 

"That's  all  right,  Roger;  I'll  fix  these  fellows. 
Just  leave  them  to  me,"  Griswold  responded  as 
he  turned  and  walked  rapidly  back  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  now  diminishing  light  of  the  great  bon 
fire. 

Mounting  to  my  place  with  the  boy  we  rolled 
away,  going  in  silence  for  some  minutes  save  for 
occasional  feeble  growls  from  Bellray,  who  seemed 
able  to  understand  that  he  had  been  treated  with 
great  disrespect  and  fretted  under  it.  When  we 
had  covered  a  mile  in  this  manner  I  felt  a  touch 
on  my  shoulder  from  behind.  Looking  back  I 
saw  Kate  bending  toward  me. 

"You  see  now  that  I  was  right,  sir,"  she  said, 
softly. 

"Right    or   wrong,    I    am    glad    I    went,"    I 


The  Help  of  a  Strong  Man     325 

answered.  "And  as  good  luck  would  have  it,  I 
throttled  the  rascal  who  was  the  cause  of  our 
going." 

"Then  I  forgive  you." 

She  spoke  these  four  words  so  decisively  as  to 
leave  no  room  for  doubting  the  depth  of  her  re 
sentment  against  those  who  had  perpetrated  the 
outrage.  Any  personal  humiliation  that  she 
might  feel  on  account  of  the  occurrence  she 
could  overlook.  But  the  indignity  put  upon  her 
brother,  through  whose  clouded  mind  pride  still 
struggled  for  expression,  was  an  affront  too 
deadly  to  be  easily  forgotten.  And  in  very  truth 
it  was  many  a  long  day  before  she  did  forget. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

CORPORAL    NEFFITT 

HEARING  nothing  further  from  the  extremists 
who,  at  my  first  public  appearance,  had  under 
taken  to  visit  punishment  upon  me,  I  concluded 
that  Griswold  was  able  to  keep  his  word.  At 
least  I  saw  no  further  signs  of  violence,  though 
there  were  mutterings  from  the  more  radical  ones. 
For  many  days  after  the  affair  at  the  cross-roads 
I  was  compelled  to  keep  to  my  bed,  for  what  with 
the  excitement  and  the  rough  handling  my  wounds 
suffered  an  aggravation  that  well-nigh  proved  se 
rious.  On  this  account  and  for  reasons  of  pru 
dence,  it  was  some  weeks  before  I  ventured  to  ex 
ercise  that  freedom  of  movement  which  should 
never  be  denied  to  a  peaceable  man.  And  such 
I  now  was,  God  knows,  whether  I  would  or  not, 
and  such,  it  seemed,  I  was  likely  to  continue  so  far 
as  military  operations  were  concerned. 

I  would  probably  have  remained  in  this  unsat 
isfactory  state  for  a  much  longer  period  had  it  not 
been  for  an  event  that  befell  me  on  the  Corydon 
road  and  turned  my  thoughts  elsewhere.  The 
time  was  evening.  The  sun  had  already  dropped 
(326) 


Corporal  Neffitt  327 

so  low  that  the  September  dusk  was  beginning  to 
settle  over  the  earth.  We  were  driving  from  the 
town — Kate  Bellray  and  I — which  I  had  that  day 
seen  for  the  first  time  since  my  return,  and  whither 
we  had  gone  upon  some  errand  of  hers.  Upon 
nearing  the  entrance  to  my  mother's  place  the 
gaunt  figure  of  a  man,  in  tattered  civilian  clothes, 
arose  from  the  ground  at  the  margin  of  the  high 
way.  Walking  into  the  middle  of  the  road  ahead 
of  us,  he  stopped  and  stood  awaiting  our  ap 
proach.  He  did  not  move  either  to  the  right  or 
left,  even  when  we  were  almost  upon  him,  but 
seemed  determined  to  bar  our  way.  A  slouch 
hat  was  pulled  far  down  over  his  forehead,  and 
beneath  its  limp  brim,  in  a  tangle  of  unkempt  hair 
and  whiskers,  lurked  two  steady  eyes. 

Having  no  wish  to  run  him  down,  though  be 
ing  far  from  satisfied  as  to  his  purpose,  I  reined 
up  quickly,  and  sharply  commanded  him  to  get 
out  of  the  way.  Instead  of  doing  so  he  raised 
his  hand  deprecatingly,  and  stepping  a  little  out 
on  the  side  on  which  I  was  riding  looked  me 
keenly  in  the  face.  There  was  a  quick  change  in 
the  glow  of  his  eyes,  but  what  it  betokened  was 
not  at  once  apparent.  It  struck  me  that  some 
where  I  had  seen  the  man  before,  but  in  the  busi 
ness  in  which  I  had  been  engaged  I  had  seen  many 
faces.  And  some  of  them,  though  appearing 
momentarily  amid  the  clash  of  arms,  are  in  my 
memory  yet,  and  more  than  one  with  the  hot 


328  The  Legionaries 

blood  streaming  down.  Had  this  man  been 
friend  or  foe?  Or  was  he  merely  a  wayside  va 
grant  bold  enough  to  attempt  a  robbery? 

"Move  aside,"  I  repeated  impatiently,  as  he 
had  not  yet  cleared  the  road.  "Or  if  there  is 
anything  you  want,  speak  out."  I  added  the 
latter  words  more  softly,  for  it  occurred  to  me 
that  the  man  looked  in  need,  and  all  my  anger 
vanished  when  I  observed  that  one  ragged  sleeve 
hung  empty  and  flapping  by  his  side. 

"Beg  pardon,  Captain,  but  I  wanted  to  make 
sure  it  was  you,"  he  said,  in  tones  hollow  and 
weak,  as  he  came  toward  me.  "A  little  while 
ago  I  asked  a  feller  goin'  by  if  he  know'd  of  any 
body  named  Trenham  livin'  about  here,  and  he 
told  me  to  go  to  hell,  as  if  you  was  there  or  ought 
to  be,  and  I  felt  a  little  cheered  up.  You  don't 
look  like  you'd  had  a'  easy  time  yourself  and  the 
boys  must  be  mistakened." 

"What  boys,  and  how  mistaken?"  I  asked  in 
amazement,  tempered,  however,  by  a  dawning 
suspicion  of  a  part  of  the  truth. 

"W'y,  your  boys — once  know'd  as  Burkley's. 
A  feller  told  us  the  day  we  crossed — ' '  he  paused 
as  at  a  disagreeable  recollection,  and  drew  his 
begrimed  hand  over  his  eyes — "that  your  folks 
lived  round  here  som'ers  and  not  in  Virginny  at 
all.  And  when  you  didn't  show  up  next  day, 
some  of  them  new  fellers — ' ' 

He  stopped  in  confusion,  now  looking  at  Kate 


Corporal  Neffitt  329 

for  the  first  time  and  instantly  taking  off  his  hat, 
as  though  feeling  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  grave 
disrespect  in  keeping  it  on  so  long.  When  he 
did  this,  I  recognized  the  unruly  corporal  who 
had  captured  poor  Venault. 

"Neffitt!"  I  exclaimed,  reaching  out  to  take 
his  hand,  and  glad  to  see  this  rapscallion,  who, 
with  his  many  faults,  had  been  one  of  the  bravest 
of  my  men. 

Greatly  to  my  surprise  he  drew  back,  rolling 
his  excuse  for  a  hat  awkwardly  around  his  long 
forefinger. 

"Corporal,"  said  I,  "what  is  the  matter?  Why 
will  you  not  take  my  hand?" 

"I'm  a  fool  to  let  it  stick  in  my  craw,  but  it 
ain't  fair  to  take  no  man's  hand,  meanin'  to  say 
a  thing  like  I'm  goin'  to  say.  But  I  can't  tell 
you  about  it  in  front  of  the  lady — it  ain't  in  my 
heart  to  hurt  you  mor'n  I  can  help.  And  when 
I've  told  you,  instead  of  offerin'  to  shake  hands, 
you'll  set  the  dogs  on  me." 

"In  heaven's  name,  man,  what  is  all  this 
about?  Can't  you  see  that  what  you  have  already 
said,  if  unexplained,  is  worse  than  anything  you 
have  in  your  mind  to  tell  me?" 

"I  guess  you're  right,"  he  said  after  a  little 
hesitation.  "The  boys  thought — some  of  them 
new  recruits,  mind — when  they  heard  that,  that 
mebbe  you'd — "  here  he  took  a  step  backward, 


33°  The  Legionaries 

watching  me  closely  the  while — "that  mebbe 
you'd  bolted  to  the  Yanks." 

This  was  so  much  worse  than  anything  I  had 
expected  to  hear,  a  suspicion  so  foul  and  besmirch 
ing  and  so  wounding  to  the  honor  of  a  soldier, 
that  I,  hardly  able  to  believe  my  ears,  could  only 
sit  and  stare  vacantly  at  Neffitt  as  if  numbed  by  a 
sudden  paralysis.  When  I  turned  from  him  at 
last  and  looked  at  Kate  I  beheld  her  gazing  at  the 
corporal  with  flaming  cheeks  and  dilated  eyes, 
before  which  the  poor  fellow  seemed  to  shrink 
and  shrivel  pitifully. 

"Shame  upon  you!"  she  cried  indignantly. 

"'Twan't  me,  miss,"  he  said  hastily.  "I 
never  really  believed  it  myself.  And  as  I  couldn't 
soldier  no  more" — he  flirted  his  sleeve  with  the 
stump  of  his  lost  arm  by  way  of  emphasis — "and 
don't  want  to  nohow  since  the  General's  took,  I 
thought  if  I'd  good  luck  in  findin'  him  I'd  tell  the 
Captain  how  it  was  and  get  his  word  for  it  that 
'twan't  so.  And  I  hope,  Captain,  that  you  won't 
be  too  hard  on  them  new  men — for  most  of  'em 
has  been  killed — and  that  feller  who  said  your 
family  lived  here  said  next  day  that  he'd  saw  you 
with  the  Unionists." 

"Neffitt,  that  man  was  a  scoundrel  and  a  spy, 
and  this  is  merely  a  piece  of  his  villainy,"  I  said. 
"But  nevertheless  it  is  not  the  sort  of  thing  one 
likes  to  hear." 

I  bade  him  sit  down  at  the  mouth  of  the  lane 


Corporal  Neffitt  331 

and  wait  for  me.  When  I  had  driven  Kate  home 
and  returned  to  the  place  where  I  had  told  him 
to  remain,  he  was  sitting  on  a  mounting  block  in 
the  gathering  darkness  in  an  attitude  of  great  de 
jection  and  weariness.  He  got  up  and  I  took  him 
into  the  vacant  seat  beside  me.  Little  was  said 
until  we  reached  the  house,  and  then  I  observed 
how  greatly  changed  the  poor  fellow  was.  The  old 
dare-devil,  irreverent  spirit  appeared  to  have  been 
crushed  out  of  him,  at  least  for  the  time.  It  had 
gone  with  his  arm,  the  loss  of  which,  I  noticed 
afterward,  filled  him  with  deep  humiliation,  to 
which  the  calamity  that  had  befallen  his  General 
added  a  keener  sting. 

After  he  had  eaten  and  rested  he  was  some 
what  more  cheerful,  but  save  in  a  general  way  I 
held  no  conversation  with  him  that  night.  I  was 
not  then  in  a  humor  to  deal  patiently  with  the 
bearer  of  such  a  tale  as  he  had  told.  Neffitt  had 
often  come  under  my  observation,  and  while  rude 
and  reckless,  his  blunt  nature  made  him  at  times 
even  offensively  truthful.  Therefore  I  did  not 
doubt  the  story  in  the  least,  but  was  humiliated 
to  think  that  such  an  inference,  so  sullying  to  my 
honor,  should  be  drawn  and  believed  against  me. 

Vawter!  He  was  the  man  who  had  crossed 
the  river  with  us,  and  he  it  was  who  had  seen  me 
with  the  Unionists,  a  prisoner,  it  is  true,  but  of 
that  he  had  not  told  them  in  his  devilish  purpose 
to  repay  me  for  the  blow  that  I  had  struck  that 


332  The  Legionaries 

night  at  Bellray's.  Had  I  known  of  this  on  the 
occasion  when  he  forced  me  to  fight  him  in  the 
cavern,  I  believe  I  should  certainly  have  put  an 
end  to  his  career. 

It  was  the  next  day  that  I  learned  all  that  the 
corporal  knew,  not  only  as  to  the  story  about 
myself — by  which  I  was  now  resolved  not  to  be 
troubled — but  as  to  my  General  and  his  men.  He 
appeared  clad  in  a  suit  of  my  own  clothes,  and 
with  a  countenance  remarkably  improved  by  a 
razor  and  shears  that  black  Peter  had  wielded. 
He  looked  a  little  shame-faced  and  uneasy,  as  if 
carrying  a  burden  of  which  he  wanted  to  be 
relieved. 

"Captain,"  he  said,  attempting  a  salute  with 
the  hand  that  was  not  there,  and  smiling  ruefully 
at  his  mistake,  " — I  forget  sometimes  that  it's 
gone — I  oughtn't  to  'a'  said  it  before  her,  though, 
bless  her  pretty  face,  I  don't  know  who  she  is  or 
how  much  you'd  care.  'Twan't  right,  nohow, 
and  I  wan't  bound  to  obey  your  .orders  then.  " 

"Never  mind  that,  Neffitt;  she  knows  how  it 
is,"  I  responded,  seeing  that  he  was  really  dis 
tressed  about  the  matter. 

"Well,  she's  spunky,  and  stood  up  for  you 
strong,"  he  said,  meditatively  stroking  his  bony 
chin,  still  red  from  the  vigorous  scraping  admin 
istered  by  Peter. 

"And  there's  another  thing  I've  never  felt  just 
right  about  it, ' '  he  added,  looking  at  me  curiously, 


Corporal  Neffitt  333 

some  of  the  old  mischievous  sparkle  in  his  sunken 
eyes. 

"Out  with  it." 

"I  kicked  you  onc't,"  he  confessed,  repent 
antly. 

I  laughed.  "So  I  have  ever  since  suspected. 
But  that  is  no  great  matter  either,  now,  only  I 
hope  nobody  saw  you." 

"Nobody  did;  if  they  had  I  wouldn't  V  done 
it."  Then  he  continued  in  explanation:  "I  al- 
wus  wanted  to  kick  an  officer ;  not  that  I  had  any 
thing  agin  'em,  but  just  for  the  satisfaction  of 
knowin'  I'd  done  it.  They'd  told  us  and  told 
us,  time  and  agin,  that  any  feller  that  struck  his 
officer  would  be  took  out  and  shot,  and  the  more 
I  thought  about  it  the  more  I  know'd  I  just  had 
to  do  it-r-only  with  me  it  was  to  kick  and  not 
strike.  At  last  I  got  where  I  must  kick  an  offi 
cer  or  get  out  of  the  service,  either  by  desertin' 
or  bein'  killed,  and  I  didn't  want  either  one  of 
them  things  to  happen.  Don't  believe  I  could  'a' 
fought  any  more  if  it  hadn't  been  for  that  chance 
you  give  me.  Afterwards  I  just  turned  to  and 
seemed  like  two  men." 

The  war-worn  rascal  stopped  and  laughed  se- 
pulchrally,  as  though  the  memory  of  the  kick  he 
administered  to  me  afforded  him  even  yet  a  mel 
ancholy  sort  of  satisfaction. 

"Beg  pardon,  Captain,  but  it  did  me  a  power 
ful  sight  of  good.  Over  and  over  I  says  to  my- 


334  The  Legionaries 

self,  'Neffitt,  my  boy,  you're  all  right;  you've 
kicked  an  officer  and  settled  the  question  of  equal 
ity.  Now  keep  your  eyes  open  to  do  that  officer 
a  favor.'  And  I've  done  it.  You  know  what  hap 
pened  that  day  when  you  and  that  foreign  fel 
ler  was  a  havin'  it  all  by  yourselves.  And  before 
we'd  got  out  of  Indiany  I  knocked  the  daylights 
out  of  two  of  the  boys  who  said  they  thought  you 
did  it.  That  was  just  after  the  General  happened 
to  speak  to  me  one  night  and  I  ups  and  asks  him 
if  he'd  heard  from  you.  He  said  he  hadn't  and 
know'd  you  must  'a'  been  took  by  them  there 
cornstalks.  And  I  tells  him  what  the  feller  said 
and  that  some  of  the  boys  said  mebbe  it  was  so. 
Then  you  ought  'a'  seen  the  General  and  heard 
him.  He  took  me  by  the  collar  like  he  was 
goin'  to  shut  off  my  wind  for  onc't  and  all. 

"  'Do  you  believe  it?'  he  says,  fierce  as  a  pain 
ter. 

"  'No,'  says  I,  'but  I'd  like  to  know  for  sure.' 

"'If  I  thought  you  did, 'says  he,  '  I'd  twist  your 
fool  neck  like  a  chicken's.  If  you  ever  get  a 
chance  tell  your  captain  that  I  said  so.'  ' 

How  my  heart  rose  at  that  and  swelled  with 
pride  and  gratitude  at  this  added  proof  of  the 
confidence  of  my  unfortunate  chief. 

"'Twa'n't  much  time  we  had  to  think  about 
anything  except  savin'  our  skins,  after  that.  At 
Buffington  I  got  shot,  and  was  nabbed  with  a  lot 
more  and  was  took  up  there  to  Indianapolis. 


Corporal  Neffitt  335 

My  arm  wa'n't  doin'  well  so  they  put  me  in  the 
hospital  and  cut  it  off,  and  that  ended  me.  I  was 
sick  and  weak  but  purtended  to  be  a  powerful 
sight  wuss  than  I  was,  and  I'm  ashamed  for  de- 
ceivin'  the  good  women  who  nursed  me  as  care 
fully  as  if  I'd  been  a  Unionist  instead  of  a  rip- 
snortin'  Confed,  and  never  none  too  good  at 
that.  After  awhile,  one  night,  I  give  'em  all  the 
slip  somehow,  and  got  out  of  town.  The  fust 
feller  I  stumbled  acrost  at  daylight  was  out  feedin' 
hogs.  I  was  nearly  dead,  as  I'd  gone  all  night 
like  a  house  afire.  He  wanted  to  know  where  I 
was  goin',  and  I  told  him  just  for  a  little  walk 
over  to  one  of  the  neighbors. 

"  'Your  neighbors  is  down  south,'  he  says, 
suddent  like,  'and  you're  a  run-away  rebel.' 

"With  that  I  'most  dropped  in  my  tracks. 
But  after  lookin'  at  me  a  little  bit  he  says:  'You 
ain't  any  good  to  nobody  but  yourself  and  never 
can  get  in  the  army  agin,  so  what's  the  use?' 

"And  then  he  told  me  that  our  folks  had  a  son 
of  his  in  prison  at  Andersonville,  and  he  would  do 
for  me  what  he'd  want  anybody  do  for  him  if  he 
got  out.  So  he  slapped  me  in  a  haystack  and 
brought  me  some  victuals  and  told  me  to  keep 
quiet  and  go  to  sleep  till  he  come  back.  He 
didn't  come  back  till  nearly  dark,  then  he  had 
some  more  victuals.  And  he  give  me  them  old 
clothes — only  they  was  a  little  better  then — and 


336  The  Legionaries 

a  little  money,  and  told  me  to  hustle  as  if  the 
devil  was  after  me. 

"  'If  they  ever  get  you  in  Camp  Morton  prison 
you  won't  get  out  till  the  war's  over  unless  it's 
on  a  board.' 

"  'And  that's  what  I  don't  want,'  I  says. 

"  'Then  for  God's  sake,  man,  use  your  "r's" 
— talk  like  a  white  man  and  not  so  much  like  a 
damned  nigger  or  yo'll  get  ketched  up  for  a  reb. 
Anybody  can  tell  you're  a  Johnny.' 

"That's  all  he  know'd,  of  course,  for  it's  the 
niggers  that  talks  like  us — and  anyway  I'm  only 
from  Kentucky  and  ain't  bad  that  way.  That 
night  on  the  road  and  next  day  in  the  woods — just 
to  obleege  that  feller,  for  I  didn't  need  do  it  at  all 
— I  said  over  and  over  every  word  I  could  think  of 
with  an  V  in  it  and  tried  it  northern  style,  and 
have  been  doin'  it  ever  since  until  now  I  can 
'most  turn  in  for  a  Yank.  But  there's  a  pile  of 
them  words !  My  tongue  aches  yet ;  I  think  it 
must  be  twisted  a  little." 

He  stopped  and  put  his  fingers  in  his  mouth, 
feeling  about  in  quest  of  proof  that  he  had  not 
irretrievably  damaged  the  vocal  appendage,  with 
out  the  free  use  of  which  he  would  have  been  a 
most  unhappy  man.  Having  satisfied  himself  in 
this  respect,  I  verily  believe  he  would  have  talked 
all  day  had  I  not  thereafter  confined  him  by 
questions  to  the  subjects  upon  which  I  partic- 


Corporal  Neffitt  337 

ularly  desired  to  be  informed.  As  to  what  hap 
pened  after  the  affair  at  Buffington,  he  knew 
nothing,  of  course,  save  by  common  report,  but 
before  that  it  was  ride,  ride,  ride,  in  general 
very  much  as  I  have  already  told  it.  In  matters 
of  detail  and  personal  incident,  he  was  able,  from 
his  experience,  to  illustrate  the  blinding,  benumb 
ing  hardships  of  the  struggle  in  a  manner  beyond 
my  power  to  reproduce,  even  were  it  my  desire 
to  do  so  more  fully  than  I  have. 

"And  now,"  said  Neffitt,  determinedly,  at  the 
end,  "since  I've  found  you,  and  settled  the  ques 
tion  that  troubled  them  new  fellers,  and  told  you 
what  the  General  said,  I'm  goin'  to  start  back." 

"Back  where?"  I  asked,  uncertain  as  to  his 
meaning. 

"W'y,  to  help  the  General,  where  else?  Mebbe 
'twon't  be  no  use,  but  leastways  I'll  try.  Can't 
tell  what  I  can  do  till  I  get  where  the  prison  is." 

"It  is  more  than  two  hundred  miles  away," 
said  I. 

"I  know  that,  but  I'll  get  there.  On  my  way 
down  here  I've  been  practicin'  on  bein'  a 
one-armed  Union  soldier  from  old  Kentuck — 
there's  many  of  'em  down  there,  you  know — 
so's  if  I  made  slips  with  them  r's  and  such 
'twouldn't  make  no  difference.  I've  got  it  all 
safe  and  sound  up  here,"  and  he  tapped  his  head 
with  his  fingers. 

22 — LEGIONARIES. 


338  The  Legionaries 

"We  will  go  together,"  said  I,  with  sudden 
resolution. 

"Cuss  that  feller  who  told  them  things.  Cap 
tain,  just  give  me  another  chance  to  take  your 
hand." 

His  face  beamed  with  joy,  and  he  gripped  the 
hand  I  held  out  to  him  as  if  bent  upon  making 
amends  for  an  unjust  suspicion. 

I  was  rapidly  getting  strong  again  in  limb  and 
body,  and  idleness  had  begun  to  irk  me.  The 
old  longing  for  action,  which  I  could  not  gratify 
in  the  direction  that  accorded  most  with  my  de 
sires,  turned  my  thoughts  swiftly  toward  my  luck 
less  chief,  whom  I  would  aid  if  possible.  Left 
in  prison  he  would  fret  his  soul  out — this  man 
of  action  and  deeds.  As  well  cage  the  eagle 
and  expect  it  to  thrive  and  learn  to  like  its  cap 
tivity  as  to  tame  his  restless  spirit  within  confin 
ing  walls. 

When  once  this  design  had  entered  my  mind, 
I  greatly  wished  that  I  possessed  Roger  Bell- 
ray's  old  keenness  in  contriving.  But  after  all, 
my  services  and  Neffitt's  might  not  be  needed ; 
others  might  already  have  under  way  schemes  to 
the  same  end  far  more  effective  than  any  that  I 
could  conceive — being  slow  witted  in  such  things, 
as  I  have  said.  The  opportunity  for  adventure, 
however,  and  more  than  all  else,  the  wish  to  aid 
the  man  who  had  so  strongly  bound  himself  to 
me,  aroused  my  sluggish  faculties  and  presently  I 


Corporal  Neffitt  339 

found  myself  burning  with  enthusiasm  and  eager 
to  be  off  to  Ohio,  while,  much  to  my  wonder,  a 
dozen  nebulous  plans  began  to  jostle  each  other 
in  my  mind. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

A  MESSAGE   FROM   THE   GENERAL  . 

NOTWITHSTANDING  our  eagerness  to  start  on 
our  self-imposed  mission  we  were  forced  to  endure 
delay,  the  chief  cause  of  which  was  the  necessity 
for  allowing  Neffitt  time  to  recover  his  strength 
more  fully.  Rough  and  uneducated  as  he  was,  he 
possessed  a  readiness  of  wit  and  a  fertility  of  re 
source  that  I  would  greatly  depend  upon  in  any 
undertaking  in  which  I  might  engage.  It  was 
ten  days  or  such  a  matter  before  I  decided  that 
he  was  fit  to  depart,  though  he  was  anxious  to 
do  so  much  sooner  than  that.  Then,  after  pro 
viding  him  with  money  sufficient  for  his  journey, 
I  saw  him  set  out,  for  upon  reflection  I  had  de 
termined  that  it  was  not  best  that  we  should 
travel  in  company  as  I  had  at  first  suggested. 

Two  days  later,  having  made  excuses  for  my 
departure  and  indefinite  absence,  I  rode  away 
again  toward  Jeffersonville.  It  was  in  the  night, 
as  that  other  ride  to  the  same  town  more  than 
a  year  before  had  been,  for  now  I  had  as  lit 
tle  desire  to  be  spied  upon  as  then.  Arriving 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  town  early  in  the  morning, 
(340) 


A  Message  from  the  General     341 

I  stabled  my  horse  at  the  house  of  a  man  I  had 
met  at  Bellray's,  and  upon  whom  I  knew  I  could 
depend,  leaving  it  to  be  recovered  by  Peter.  The 
two  or  three  miles  yet  intervening  I  made  on 
foot. 

That  night  I  reached  Cincinnati,  and  the  next 
night  was  in  Columbus,  without  other  incident 
than  such  as  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  ordinary  trav 
eler.  Seeking  out  quiet  lodgings  I  slept  soundly, 
making  up  in  great  measure  for  the  enforced 
wakefulness  of  the  two  previous  days.  Being  a 
total  stranger  in  Columbus,  and  thus  having  no 
expectation  of  being  recognized,  I  made  no  pre 
tense  at  disguise.  The  most  that  I  had  done  in 
this  respect  was  to  provide  myself  with  apparel 
that  might  make  me  pass  as  a  young  tradesman 
or  a  well-garbed  mechanic. 

When  I  had  breakfasted  the  next  morning  I  at 
once  started  out  to  fix  the  location  of  the  prison, 
which  I  knew  to  be  somewhere  upon  the  border 
of  the  city.  I  had  seen  nothing  of  Neffitt,  which 
fact  disturbed  me  a  little  as  he  had  been  told  of 
my  route  and  had  promised,  providing  he  met 
with  no  misadventure,  to  keep  a  careful  watch  for 
my  appearance.  This  I  considered  necessary, 
seeing  that  we  were  both  without  knowledge  of 
the  town  and  might,  in  the  absence  of  such  pre 
caution,  have  some  difficulty  in  meeting  save  after 
exasperating  delay. 

I  had  gone  but  a  block  or  two  when,  chancing 


342  The  Legionaries 

to  look  across  the  street,  I  saw  a  maimed  veteran 
in  a  well-worn  Federal  uniform  trudging  along 
abreast  of  me,  and  now  and  again  turning  his  eyes 
in  my  direction  as  if  keeping  me  in  view.  It  was 
Neffitt.  At  the  next  corner  he  made  a  motion 
indicating  that  I  should  follow  him  down  the  in 
tersecting  street,  which  I  did.  He  shambled  on, 
I  trailing  behind,  until  the  outskirts  of  the  city 
were  reached  and  the  grim  stone  prison  which 
held  our  General  loomed  up  before  us  within  its 
strong,  high  walls.  As  he  now  seemed  to  be  walk 
ing  purposely  slower  I  soon  overhauled  him,  but 
not  until  he  had  turned  aside  so  as  to  put  an  ob 
struction  between  us  and  the  lookouts  on  the  yet 
distant  walls. 

"Well?"  said  I,  questioningly. 

"I've  made  a  start;  I've  hired  that  house  out 
there  for  my  family."  He  pointed  toward  a  lit 
tle  house  some  two  hundred  yards  away  to  the 
right,  which  seemed  sadly  in  need  of  repairs. 

"Your  family?" 

"It  hain't  come  yet,  and  won't — for  I  hain't 
got  none — but  that's  what  I  got  it  for;  leastways 
that's  what  I  told  the  feller  I  hired  it  from.  It's 
clost  to  the  place.  I'm  goin'  to  put  in  a  stove 
and  a  bed  and  then  get  acquainted  with  some  of 
them  guards,  somehow." 

It  was  plain  that  the  corporal  had  been  going^" 
ahead  with  his  old-time  impulsiveness,  and  while 
I  felt  that  he  was  probably  the  more  capable  of 


A  Message  from  the  General     343 

the  two  in  the  execution  of  some  parts  of  the 
business  in  hand,  I  feared  that  in  his  hurry  to  get 
on  he  might  be  indiscreet.  He  evidently  guessed 
what  was  in  my  mind,  for  he  made  haste  to  as 
sure  me  that  he  was  acting  with  the  utmost  cau 
tion. 

"We've  got  to  know  how  they  are  in  there, 
and  what's  goin'  on,"  he  added.  "Without  that 
we  can't  move  a  finger  to  help  'em,  and  mebbe 
not  then.  I'm  bound  to  get  inside,  though, 
somehow.  I  know  where  you're  stay  in',  and  I 
won't  see  you  agin  till  I've  got  something  to 
tell.  Leave  this  part  of  it  to  me,  if  you  please." 

He  was  so  earnest,  and  spoke  with  such  a 
thorough  understanding  of  the  situation  that  I 
could  do  nothing  less  than  accede  to  this  arrange 
ment.  Unless  we  could  work  in  harmony  with 
the  imprisoned  General  we  might  as  well  not  work 
at  all.  So,  agreeing  to  Neffitt's  proposal  and 
leaving  him  to  his  own  devices,  I  went  back  to  the 
city. 

Day  after  day  passed  until  a  week  had  gone  by 
with  no  tidings  fromNeffitt.  At  last,  fearing  that 
some  misfortune  had  befallen  him,  and  realizing 
that  without  at  least  a  pretense  of  an  occupation 
suspicion  might  be  attracted  to  myself,  at  a  ven 
ture  I  answered  an  advertisement  for  agents.  It 
turned  out  that  the  advertiser  wanted  solicitors  to 
take  subscriptions  for  a  new  war  history.  I  was 
on  the  point  of  declining  this,  to  me,  distasteful 


344  The  Legionaries 

service,  but  before  I  had  committed  myself  there 
came  a  providential  illumination. 

Truly  I  was  dull  of  wit  and  memory.  For 
while  my  chief  desire  was  to  get  word  with  the 
General,  I  had  not  thought  of  a  method  by  which 
he  had  once  received  an  important  communi 
cation  from  within  the  Union  lines  that  en 
abled  him  to  accomplish  one  of  his  most  daring 
exploits.  It  came  from  a  woman  who,  notwith 
standing  her  sex,  was  known  to  fame  as  Lieuten 
ant  Rawley,  and  who  did,  in  fact,  bear  a  commis 
sion  as  an  officer  for  some  time  in  the  command 
of  General  Forrest.  Shrewd,  of  keen  intelligence 
and  forceful  character,  she  was  long  a  purveyor 
of  information  useful  to  the  South.  The  inter 
mediary  in  the  instance  to  which  I  refer  was  only 
a  small,  harmless  book.  At  the  time  it  came 
into  the  General's  hands  I  was  acting  temporarily 
as  his  adjutant.  After  scrutinizing  the  volume 
for  a  few  minutes,  he  passed  it  to  me  with  the 
look  in  his  face  that  I  always  saw  there  when  he 
contemplated  one  of  the  bold  strokes  for  which 
he  was  renowned. 

"Well,  sir,"  said  he,  "what  do  you  make  of 
that?" 

"A  nice  little  book,"  I  answered  turning  the 
leaves ;  "but  it  will  probably  be  awhile  before  you 
get  time  to  read  it." 

"Read  it!"  he  cried,  laughing;  "I  have  read 
it  within  these  five  minutes,  and  a  very  pretty 


A  Message  from  the  General     345 

story  it  is,  too.  But  let  me  tell  you  that  the 
name  of  the  author  of  what  I  have  read  is  not 
that  on  the  title  page." 

An  hour  later  we  were  in  the  saddle  and  carry 
ing  a  sharp  wind  in  our  teeth,  so  great  was  our 
hurry.  He  had  left  the  book  in  my  possession 
and  I  placed  it  in  my  pocket.  Some  days  later, 
after  we  had  accomplished  the  duty  that  the  se 
cret  intelligence  had  put  before  us,  I  returned  it 
to  him,  having  in  the  meantime  studied  it  with 
great  care,  and  discovered  nothing  of  the  "pretty 
story"  of  which  the  General  had  spoken.  When, 
however,  he  gave  me  the  key  to  the  mystery,  it 
was  a  mystery  no  longer,  but  as  simple  a  matter 
as  one  would  care  to  know.  In  very  truth  its 
simplicity  was  its  safeguard,  for  it  hardly  ap 
proached  the  dignity  of  a  cipher. 

And  here  now  I  had  stumbled  upon  an  oppor 
tunity  that  gave  much  promise.  It  at  least 
aroused  a  hope  that  I  might  bring  about  the  very 
thing  without  which,  as  Neffitt  said,  we  could 
not  move  a  finger  to  aid  those  within  the  formid 
able  walls  upon  which  we  were  at  the  time  gaz 
ing.  I  succeeded  without  difficulty  in  engaging 
myself  to  the  advertiser.  Not  knowing  then  how 
closely  the  officials  guarded  their  important  pris 
oner  from  even  the  view  of  outsiders,  I  thought 
that  by  prosecuting  my  new  avocation  skillfully 
I  might  perhaps  be  allowed  conversation  with 
General  Morgan  himself.  But  I  did  not  intend 


346  The  Legionaries 

to  show  myself  at  the  prison  until  I  had  estab 
lished  a  sort  of  footing  in  the  business  by  secur 
ing  a  respectable  list  of  subscribers  in  the  city. 

For  two  days  I  invaded  offices,  shops  and 
public  buildings,  and  tramped  up  and  down  the 
streets  and  avenues  from  house  to  house  with  a 
veritable  fire  of  energy,  achieving  a  success  be 
yond  anything  that  I  would  have  believed  pos 
sible.  I  had  even  obtained  the  name  of  the  gov 
ernor  of  Ohio  himself — that  man  who  had  done 
so  much  to  aid  in  the  ruin  that  had  come  upon 
my  comrades.  Under  other  circumstances  it 
would  not  have  been  possible  to  do  these  things ; 
but  in  pursuance  of  my  purpose  then  I  would 
allow  nothing  to  stand  in  my  way,  submitting  to 
rebuffs,  and  even  to  insults  for  which  it  would 
have  been  a  pleasure  to  administer  heavy  chas 
tisement,  but  at  last  emerging  triumphantly  with 
the  signatures  of  the  offenders. 

On  the  night  of  the  second  day  I  sat  in  my 
room,  tired  but  gloating  as  over  a  battle  won. 
The  next  day,  fortified  with  the  evidence  of  pre 
vious  industry,  I  would  boldly  invade  the  prison 
and  with  lip  and  tongue  fight  my  way  to  the  Gen 
eral.  I  had  come  to  understand,  as  never  before, 
that  the  man  who  swings  a  sword  is  not  more  a 
hero  after  he  has  overthrown  his  enemy  than 
many  who  engage  in  the  conflicts  of  peace.  Pres 
ently  I  became  aware  that  some  one  had  stopped 
at  my  door.  Not  waiting  for  a  knock  to  be 


A  Message  from  the  General     347 

sounded  I  went  forward  and  opened  it.  My  late 
corporal  stepped  quickly  within.  Closing  the 
door  I  turned  toward  him,  delight  and  anger  war 
ring  for  expression,  for  the  failure  to  hear  from 
him  had  greatly  provoked  me. 

"Well,  sir,  you  have  given  me  a  pretty  wait," 
said  I.  "I  had  almost  concluded  that  you  had 
been  caught  and  hung." 

"Very  far  from  it,"  he  answered,  pulling  a 
chair  into  the  center  of  the  room,  seating  him 
self  upon  it  and  by  a  gesture  indicating  that  I 
should  do  likewise  with  another.  "Now,"  he 
continued,  "I've  not  seen  the  General,  and  didn't 
get  to  talk  to  him.  It  took  me  till  to-day  to  find 
out  that  I  couldn't.  They're  all-fired  skeery  of 
him  and  them  officers  of  his'n  that  are  with  him. 
Won't  even  let  'em  look  out  of  a  winder." 

The  corporal  was  greatly  cast  down,  but  not 
discouraged  by  his  partial  failure.  It  was  grad 
ually  disclosed  that  he  had  learned  some  things 
that  might  be  of  benefit  to  us  in  the  making  of 
further  effort.  The  General  and  his  fellow-offi 
cers  were  confined  in  the  wing  of  the  prison  called 
the  East  Hall,  and  occupied  cells  in  that  side  of  it 
facing  the  town.  During  the  day  they  were  al 
lowed  to  exercise  in  the  corridor  upon  which 
their  cells  opened.  Surrounding  the  buildings 
was  a  thick  wall,  twenty-five  feet  high,  upon 
which  at  intervals  were  the  small  shelter  houses 
for  the  outside  guards,  who,  armed  with  guns, 


348  The  Legionaries 

were  expected  to  prevent  the  scaling  of  the  walls 
at  all  hours. 

Some  of  these  guards,  when  off  duty,  fre 
quented  a  public  house  not  far  removed  from  the 
prison.  Of  this  house  Neffitt  had  become  a  reg 
ular  patron,  carefully  studying  the  habits  of  the 
men.  In  respect  to  any  over-indulgence  in  drink, 
he  confessed  sadly  that,  with  two  exceptions,  they 
were  above  reproach.  With  these  two  he  was 
taking  pains  to  become  especially  friendly,  but 
with  what  particular  object  in  view  he  did  not 
say  and  I  did  not  inquire.  Indeed,  as  he  after 
ward  admitted,  this  course  was  taken  at  a  ven 
ture,  in  the  absence  of  definite  information  from 
within  the  walls  as  to  what  would  be  expected 
of  us. 

As  things  befell,  I  am  forced  to  concede  that 
without  this  foresight  an  event  that  set  the  coun 
try  by  the  ears  might  have  had  a  very  different 
termination.  When  the  corporal  left  it  was  with 
a  promise  to  report  to  me  on  the  following  night, 
for  I  told  him  I  might  have  something  to  say  to 
him,  though  not  then  confiding  to  him  the  nature 
of  my  purposes. 

It  might  be  that  I  should  fail  even  more  in- 
gloriously  than  Neffitt  in  my  intended  attempt  to 
get  speech  with  the  General.  This  did  not  now 
trouble  me  so  much  since  there  remained  the 
other  method  of  communication  upon  which  I  set 
great  store.  Taking  up  the  volume  that  I  had 


A  Message  from  the  General     349 

been  using  in  my  business  of  the  past  two  days  I 
went  to  work  to  prepare  my  message.  The  book 
contained  a  table  of  contents  showing  more  than 
thirty  chapters,  designated  by  numeral  letters. 
Choosing  the  nineteenth  chapter,  I  made  a  small 
dot  with  my  pencil  a  little  below  and  midway  be 
tween  the  last  two  numerals,  thus  indicating  that 
the  ninth  chapter  had  been  selected  as  the  one  in 
which  the  message  could  be  found.  Turning  then 
to  the  figure  2,  marking  the  second  page  of  the 
book,  I  put  a  short  dash  above  it,  indicating  that 
the  second  and  each  succeeding  alternate  line, 
counting  from  the  top  of  the  page,  might  be 
looked  to  as  furnishing  the  letters  and  words 
composing  the  message.  A  dot  beneath,  and 
another  some  spaces  to  the  left  of  the  figure  com 
pleted  its  ornamentation.  These  designated  the 
second  letter  preceding  the  one  having  the  mark 
beneath  it  as  the  letter  to  which  attention  was  to 
be  given  in  spelling  out  the  words.  A  short  dash 
to  the  right  of  the  figure  3,  marking  the  third 
page,  indicated  that  the  message  would  begin  on 
the  third  page  of  the  chosen  chapter,  and  a  cir 
cular  mark  resembling  a  small  letter  "o"  beneath 
the  figure  3 ,  allowed  the  use  of  the  third  preced 
ing  word  entire.  Let  it  be  understood  that  the 
location  of  these  little  marks,  all  of  which  were 
made  lightly,  meant  a  great  deal,  and  that  I 
might  have  arrived  at  the  same  result  by  putting 
them  in  very  different  places. 


350  The  Legionaries 

Being  done  with  this,  I  found  the  ninth  chap 
ter  and  on  its  third  page  began  to  make  faint  but 
discernible  marks  below  the  proper  letters  and 
words  in  the  designated  lines.  I  had  previ 
ously  fixed  in  my  mind  the  communication  that 
I  desired  to  make,  and  having  marked  the  last 
letter,  I  then,  in  like  manner,  appended  my  own 
name.  Then  I  read  it  all  over  to  see  that  I  had 
made  no  mistakes.  To  me  it  was  perfectly  legi 
ble,  and  there  was  no  doubt  that  it  would  be  as 
clear  to  the  General,  if  it  should  ever  get  to  him. 
"Two  friends  outside — what  can  we  do?" 

In  the  selection  and  arrangement  of  these  sim 
ple  words  I  had  given  my  brain  a  serious  cudg 
eling.  It  was  necessary  that  the  message  should 
be  short  in  order  to  be  quickly  read,  that  it 
should  be  composed  of  letters  most  frequently 
used,  so  that  it  would  run  freely,  and  that  it 
should  acquaint  the  receiver  with  our  presence 
without  compromising  him  with  our  outside 
efforts  if  any  unfriendly  eye  should  see  and  de 
cipher  the  meaning  of  my  marks.  A  discovery 
of  my  purpose  would  not  only  take  me  out  of  the 
game,  but  would  probably  be  fatal  to  any  plan 
of  escape  that  the  General  might  have  in  contem 
plation  or  already  on  foot. 

I  was  not  versed  in  cryptography — to  which, 
indeed,  as  I  have  said,  this  simple  system  bore 
little  resemblance — and  hence  was  sadly  lacking 
in  confidence  in  my  poor  penciling.  But  as  I 


A  Message  from  the  General     351 

only  intended  to  use  it — if  I  could — in  the  event 
that  my  attempt  to  reach  my  chief  personally 
failed,  I  determined  that  I  could  do  nothing  less 
than  take  such  risk  as  there  was.  Another  mat 
ter  that  troubled  me  greatly  was  the  fear  that, 
even  if  my  book  should  reach  him,  he  would 
have  no  opportunity  to  prepare  a  return  message. 
If,  as  was  most  reasonable  to  believe,  his  inspec 
tion  of  the  volume  should  be  under  the  eyes  of 
an  official,  he  would  not  dare  put  pencil,  if  he 
should  possess  one,  to  its  pages.  And  yet  there 
were  few  things  that  he  would  not  dare  where  a 
point  was  to  be  gained.  But  as  to  all  this  I 
would  see  in  proper  time. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day  I  set  out  for 
the  prison  and  succeeded  in  being  admitted  to  the 
presence  of  the  warden.  It  was  with  much  diffi 
culty  that  I  could  get  him  to  give  me  a  hearing 
for  my  work.  He  would  certainly  have  turned  me 
out  with  little  ceremony  had  not  his  attention  been 
opportunely  called  to  the  signature  of  the  digni 
tary  under  whose  appointment  he  held  his  office. 
For,  be  it  understood,  the  prison  in  his  charge 
was  a  state  and  not  a  national  institution,  and  in 
it  were  held  hundreds  of  malefactors  who  had 
been  convicted  in  courts  of  justice  of  all  sorts  of 
crimes  against  the  laws. 

Though  my  General  and  his  officers  were  con 
fined  in  a  wing  of  the  prison  separated  from  the 
parts  occupied  by  the  convicts,  I  felt  then  and  al- 


352  The  Legionaries 

ways  have  felt  since,  that  the  fact  of  their  incar 
ceration  there  at  all  was  a  needless  and  unworthy 
humiliation  of  proud  men,  whose  valorous  deeds 
entitled  them  to  better  treatment  from  their  foes. 
Not,  however,  until  I  stood  within  the  portals 
that  had  been  so  often  opened  and  shut  to  allow 
the  incoming  and  the  outgoing  of  thieves,  mur 
derers  and  the  like,  did  I  feel  in  full  measure  the 
keenness  of  the  shame  that  had  been  put  upon 
them.  How  much  I  should  have  liked  then  to 
pour  out  upon  the  head  of  the  blameless  warden 
the  indignation  that  rose  to  my  throat,  God  only 
knows.  But  instead  of  doing  that  I  was  forced  to 
smother  my  real  feelings  and  assume  an  entirely 
different  state  of  mind  and  heart. 

In  deference  to  the  signature  of  the  governor 
the  warden  listened  to  what  I  had  to  say,  but  at 
the  end  curtly  refused  to  add  his  own  name  to 
my  list  and  presently  turned  me  over  to  the  mer 
cies  of  one  of  the  sub-wardens,  a  kindly-disposed 
elderly  man,  who  speedily  succumbed  to  my  ar 
guments.  And  then,  after  using  all  the  powers 
of  ingratiation  that  I  could  bring  to  my 'aid,  I 
asked  to  be  allowed  to  show  my  work  to  the  rebel 
officers,  who  must  be,  I  asserted,  peculiarly  in 
terested.  That  I  was  told  could  not  be  permit 
ted,  and  the  manner  of  the  refusal  left  no  doubt 
of  its  finality. 

Fearing  the  effect  of  persistence  in  my  desire 
to  see  the  General  personally,  I  begged  the  sub- 


A  Message  from  the  General     353 

warden  to  take  the  book  up,  together  with  my 
list  and  submit  it  to  the  General,  explaining  that  I 
should  like  to  obtain  the  autograph  of  so  famous 
a  rebel.  After  a  brief  consultation  with  the  war 
den,  followed  by  a  close  inspection  of  the  list  and 
a  careful  shaking  and  leafing  of  the  book  to  see 
that  no  message  or  other  objectionable  thing  was 
concealed  in  either,  the  sub-warden  made  off. 
He  was  gone  a  long  time  and  I  was  encouraged 
to  believe  that  my  ruse  might  be  successful. 
Nearly  an  hour  passed  before  he  returned. 

"The  General  says  he  will  take  one  if  he  is 
still  here  when  you  deliver  them,  but  that  he 
won't  sign  your  list,"  said  the  sub-warden.  "He 
says  he  hopes  to  be  exchanged  soon — which  he 
won't  be,  of  course — and  that  your  book  anyway, 
as  far  as  he  can  see,  is  only  a  one-sided  affair, 
giving  the  North  more  than  its  due  and  lying 
about  the  South.  He'd  really  like  to  have  it, 
though,  as  a  curiosity,  he  says.  He  and  Colonel 
Duke  looked  it  over  quite  awhile." 

"The  impudent  rebel,"  cried  I,  affecting  to 
be  extremely  indignant,  but  really  vastly  pleased 
to  know  that  my  leader's  spirit  was  in  no  wise 
curbed  by  his  misfortunes.  "But  I'm  resolved 
that  he  shall  have  it,  and  I  ask  that  when  I  bring 
it  you  give  me  permission  to  force  it  down  his 
traitorous  throat." 

At  this  brave  speech  the  sub-warden  looked  at 
23 — LEGIONARIES. 


354  The  Legionaries 

me  pityingly — or  was  it  contemptuously?  Which 
ever  it  was,  I  felt  that  it  was  born  of  respect  for 
my  chief,  and  by  that  was  comforted.  But  he 
was  not  content  with  turning  me  off  with  a  look. 

"And  Colonel  Duke  said  that,  if  I  pleased,  I 
might  tell  the  dapper  little  book-peddler  —  he 
missed  it  there  in  your  size,  and  it's  a  shame  you 
haven't  got  grit  enough  to  be  a  soldier — that  if 
the  warden  is  willing,  he  requests  the  pleasure  of 
having  you  kicked  out,  with  his  compliments." 
The  sub-warden  laughed,  as  if  this  were  a  pleasant 
bit  of  humor. 

"The  devil  he  did,"  said  I.  "Suppose  you 
bring  him  down  here  and  let  him  do  it  himself." 

"Oh,  don't  take  it  so  much  to  heart,"  the  of 
ficial  hastened  to  say,  relentingly.  "He  saw 
something  in  the  book  about  the  Vicksburg  sur 
render  that  made  him  angry,  something  aboul 
Pemberton  napping  within  the  city  while  Grant 
was  running  tunnels  from  the  outside  to  blow  up 
his  fortifications.  The  Colonel  said  he  knew 
Pemberton  was  the  kind  of  man  who  would  do 
everything  he  could  do  from  the  inside  to  save 
himself,  even  if  he  did  finally  march  out  on  a  na 
tional  holiday.  But  he  did  say,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  that  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  breach  made 
in  the  fortifications  by  Grant's  mines,  Vicksburg 
would  not  have  changed  commanders  so  soon." 

I  do  not  know  how  much  more  the  loquacious 
sub-warden  would  have  said  had  not  a  growl  from 


A  Message  from  the  General     355 

his  chief  shut  him  up  abruptly.  As  it  was,  it 
occurred  to  me  that  during  his  absence  he  had 
been  furnished  with  a  verbal  entertainment  that 
was  very  likely  not  purposeless,  and  that  the 
greater  part  of  it  had  come  from  Colonel  Duke 
was  still  more  evident.  Taking  myself  off  in  an  ap 
parently  bad  humor  which  I  made  a  visible  effort 
to  conceal — beginning,  by  that  time,  to  be  a  little 
vain  of  my  performance — I  hastened  into  the  city 
and  went  at  once  to  my  room  to  learn  if  my  mes 
sage  had  borne  fruit. 

Turning  to  the  table  of  contents  I  scrutinized 
the  chapter  headings,  but  saw  no  marks  save 
those  that  my  own  pencil  had  put  there.  With 
•a  heart  sinking  with  disappointment  I  was  about 
to  lay  the  volume  aside  when  the  thought  flashed 
into  my  mind  that  possibly  the  General  had  not 
chosen  to  alter  the  cipher  and  that  an  answering 
communication  might  be  found  immediately  fol 
lowing  my  own.  And  so  it  proved. 

On  the  page  following  that  on  which  I  had  put 
my  last  mark  the  paper  showed  signs  of  having 
been  pricked  by  a  pin.  No  casual  eye  would 
have  noticed  these  signs,  perhaps,  but  to  me  they 
were  as  clear  as  my  own,  though,  as  it  seemed, 
made  furtively  if  not  in  haste.  In  a  little  while  I 
had  spelled  out  these  words  :  '  'At  work — danger 
on  wall  op.  E.  Hall — ready  near  thanks  day — 
watch  change  commandants."  That  was  all,  but 
how  much  it  seemed  to  me  then.  As  I  read  the 


356  The  Legionaries 

message  the  prisoners  had  plans  of  their  own 
under  way  in  which  I  might  be  able  to  bear  a 
part.  Ready  near  Thanksgiving  day !  I  re 
membered  that  the  Northern  President,  weeks 
before,  had  issued  a  proclamation  setting  apart  the 
last  Thursday  in  November  as  a  day  for  national 
thanksgiving.  It  was  clear  that  some  plan  of 
the  prisoners  was  expected  to  mature  then.  But 
what  was  this  about  a  change  of  commandants? 
What  they  feared  was  evidently  a  close  inspection 
of  the  prison,  and  discovery  of  their  plot,  such  as 
would  likely  follow  the  incoming  of  a  new  mili 
tary  commandant.  A  rumor  that  the  present 
officer  would  be  superseded  I  had  already  heard, 
but  until  then  it  had  made  no  impression  on  me. 
In  the  light  of  it  now  I  read  the  General's  mes 
sage,  and  saw  that  Colonel  Duke's  words  concern 
ing  the  change  of  commanders  at  Vicksburg, 
which  the  sub-warden  had  repeated  to  me — as 
the  former,  no  doubt,  believed  he  would  do— 
were  not  meaningless. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

FRIENDS  ON  THE  WALL 

COULD  I  have  seen  how  my  imprisoned  fellow- 
officers  were  toiling  at  that  moment  for  the  liber 
ation  of  their  beloved  leader,  and  could  I  have 
known  how  they  had  been  toiling  for  weeks  and 
would  toil  for  weeks  yet  to  come,  my  concern 
would  have  been  even  greater  than  it  was.  For 
it  was  a  precarious  undertaking,  with  many 
chances  of  discovery  and  failure  as  against  a 
mere  pitiful  hope.  Its  successful  execution,  in 
the  face  of  the  disheartening  obstacles  that  met 
them  on  every  hand,  would  be  little  less  than  the 
accomplishment  of  a  miracle.  But  these  men  of 
the  free  air  were  accustomed  to  obstacles  and  to 
overcoming  them  as  well. 

With  no  prospect  of  release  from  confinement 
in  a  regular  way,  they  set  about  to  find  some  other. 
Tramping  the  narrow  corridor  by  day  or  lying  in 
their  pinching  cells  by  night,  they  thought  of 
many  plans.  It  was  the  resolute  Hines  who  dis 
pelled  the  chaos  of  doubt.  One  day,  engaging 
in  conversation  with  old  Hevay,  a  sub-warden  of 
long  service,  he  offered  a  casual  remark  as  to  the 
(357) 


358  The  Legionaries 

seeming  architectural  and  sanitary  perfection  of  the 
prison,  calling  attention  to  the  unusual  dryness  of 
the  floors  of  the  ground  cells,  one  of  which  he 
occupied.  If  Hevay  had  a  hobby  it  was  that  very 
thing,  as  Hines  well  knew.  Straightway  he  told 
of  the  existence  of  an  air  chamber  extending  the 
length  of  the  bottom  tier  of  cells. 

Carefully  concealing  his  interest  in  this  impor 
tant  revelation,  Hines  lost  little  time  in  testing  its 
accuracy.  With  knives  secretly  obtained  from 
the  table  on  which  their  meals  were  served,  he 
began  to  dig  and  pry  in  the  hard  floor.  Little 
by  little  he  made  progress,  and  finally,  after  in 
credible  labor  and  pains,  penetrated  eighteen 
inches  of  cement  and  brick  to  the  space  beneath 
of  which  the  sub-warden  had  spoken.  The  debris 
was  surreptitiously  carried  out  in  pocket  hand 
kerchiefs,  and  mingled  with  the  ashes  in  the 
large  corridor  stove  or  else  concealed  in  his  own 
bed  and  in  the  beds  of  his  fellows,  who  gave  him 
such  assistance  as  they  could. 

Once  in  the  air  chamber  there  was  ample  room 
for  work.  A  tunnel  was  begun  and  pushed 
through  the  three-foot  stone  wall  of  the  cell  house, 
then  under  the  corridor  floor,  then  through  the 
wall  of  the  inclosing  structure  to  the  prison 
yard,  but  not  opened  to  the  air  until  the  time 
came  for  departure.  It  was  the  work  of  weeks 
of  the  most  wearing  labor,  weeks  of  patience,  cau 
tion,  constant  vigilance,  of  pouring  sweat  and 


Friends  on  the  Wall          359 

pounding  hearts.  It  was  guarded  by  keen  eyes 
and  alert  ears,  and  shared  by  many  eager  hands 
— the  hands  of  men  desiring  liberty  for  another 
more  than  they  desired  it  for  themselves,  and  who 
would  be  content  if  that  one  should  escape  and 
they  remain.  To  the  aid  of  the  knives — of  such 
little  avail  against  blocks  of  stone — was  providen 
tially  brought  a  single  other  tool,  a  broken 
spade  skillfully  procured,  and  the  light  of  can 
dles  which  they  had  been  permitted  to  buy  and 
had  carefully  hoarded. 

I  did  not  know  of  these  things  until  later.  The 
battle  for  liberty  was  in  progress,  but  what  form 
it  was  taking  could  only  be  conjectured.  That  it 
was  a  stupendous  conflict  waged  against  solid 
stone,  from  a  darksome  hole  in  the  ground,  with 
such  sorry  weapons  of  offense,  I  did  not  dream. 
Hence  I  say,  that  had  I  known  the  truth  my  con 
cern  over  the  outcome  of  their  struggles  would 
not  have  been  lessened.  As  it  was,  time  passed 
slowly  enough. 

From  evening  to  evening  Neffitt  came  to  re 
port  his  progress.  He  was  still  working  on  the 
guards,  he  told  me,  and  was  getting  on  close 
terms  with  the  two  who  had  an  over-fondness  for 
liquor,  asserting  that  they  might  prove  useful.  I 
think  that  the  possible  help  he  expected  them 
to  render  was  more  of  a  negative  than  a  positive 
sort,  as  he  did  not  hint  that  they  were  lacking 
in  either  honesty  or  loyalty.  But  I  did  not  then 


360  The  Legionaries 

seek  enlightenment,  and  really  hoped  that  our 
own  ends  might  be  achieved  without  involving 
any  innocent  person  in  trouble.  He  expressed 
no  surprise  on  learning  that  I  had  fared  no  bet 
ter  than  himself  in  my  effort  to  speak  with  the 
General.  The  faithful  rogue  rather  seemed  to 
be  pleased  than  otherwise,  not  because  I  had 
failed  but  because  he  had  not  been  discredited. 
When,  however,  I  proceeded  to  tell  him  of  the 
message  received,  his  delight  was  sincere  and  un 
bounded. 

"They  must  be  workin'  a  tunnel,"  he  said 
with  conviction,  "and  hope  to  get  over  that  wall 
somehow.  By  all  the  smoky  ghosts  of  hell  I  can 
help  'em  there." 

Much  impressed  by  the  enthusiasm  displayed 
in  the  utterance  of  this  original  oath,  I  asked  him 
in  what  manner  he  proposed  to  be  of  assistance. 

"My  two  friends  is  on  that  wall.  They  lets 
down  a  string,  I  ties  on  a  bottle  or  two  and  they 
celebrates  the  day,  that  is  if  it's  Thanksgivin'. 
But  they'll  do  it  most  any  time  for  that  matter, 
as  I've  already  helped  'em  that  way  onc't.  Hope 
it'll  be  a  nasty  bad  night,  though." 

"Is  there  any  place  from  which  we  could  run  a 
tunnel  from  the  outside  so  as  to  get  under  that 
wall?"  I  asked,  having  in  my  mind  Colonel 
Duke's  statement  to  the  sub-warden  about  the 
counter-mines  of  Grant  and  Pemberton  at  Vicks- 
burg. 


Friends  on  the  Wall         361 

"No,  there  ain't,  and  it's  too  risky.  They 
comes  over  that  wall  and  not  through  it  or  under 
it.  If  you  can  reach  the  General  agin,  for  God's 
sake  tell  him  to  make  it  Thanksgivin'.  It'll  be 
easier  to  get  them  fellers  to  put  on  lots  of  steam 
that  night." 

He  left  me  a  little  later,  taking  an  additional 
supply  of  money,  having  confessed  to  me  that  he 
was  down  to  his  last  copper.  We  were  both  elated 
over  the  certainty  that  we  were  at  last  making 
definite  headway.  On  the  next  day  and  still  the 
next  I  continued  my  canvassing  desultorily  from 
motives  of  caution.  After  that  I  took  no  more 
orders — not  being  at  all  content  with  the  unheroic 
character  of  my  employment — and  from  that  time 
only  awaited  the  arrival  of  my  books  in  order  that 
I  might  have  further  excuse  for  visiting  the  prison. 
For  these  I  had  to  send  to  Philadelphia. 

Three  weeks  passed,  and  a  vexatious  delay  in 
the  coming  of  the  books  filled  me  with  despair. 
The  change  in  commandants  was  about  to  be 
accomplished,  and  the  day  of  national  thanks 
giving  was  only  two  days  off,  when,  to  my  joy, 
a  heavy  box  was  set  down  at  my  lodgings  di 
rected  to  John  Clark,  that  being  my  own  name 
in  truth,  though  not  all  of  it. 

Being  now  armed  with  the  authority  of  my 
calling  I  lost  no  time  in  making  my  way  to 
the  prison,  carrying  with  me  three  or  four  of  the 
books.  In  the  one  intended  for  General  Morgan 


362  The  Legionaries 

was  a  message  informing  him  of  the  threatened 
danger  and  telling  him  that  on  the  night  of  the 
ensuing  holiday  he  need  not  fear  the  wall.  This 
I  did  on  the  assurance  of  Neffitt  that  he  would 
not  fail  in  the  execution  of  his  design.  I  had 
come  to  rely  greatly  on  the  corporal's  ability  in 
his  chosen  field,  and  beyond  those  latent  doubts 
that  always  exist  until  a  hazardous  undertaking 
has  been  accomplished,  I  felt  no  misgiving. 

It  was  in  the  afternoon  and  the  sky  was  over 
cast  by  gray,  smudgy  clouds,  through  which 
filtered  occasional  flakes  of  snow  that  came  hes 
itatingly  down  as  if  loath  to  reach  the  earth.  The 
air  was  chill  enough  to  justify  me  in  turning  up 
the  collar  of  my  overcoat  and  in  taking  strides 
that  carried  me  quickly  to  my  destination.  A 
guard  at  the  gate  let  me  in,  after  consulting  a 
higher  official  in  pursuance  of  his  duty.  Only 
the  sub-warden,  with  whom  my  business  had 
been  conducted  when  there  before,  and  a  clerk, 
occupied  the  office.  The  absence  of  the  warden 
was  a  hopeful  sign.  When  the  sub-warden  had 
accepted  and  paid  for  his  own  volume,  I  remind 
ed  him  of  the  promise  of  General  Morgan,  made 
to  himself,  to  take  the  book  if  not  previously  ex 
changed,  and  asked  if  he  were  still  a  prisoner. 

"Yes,  he  is  here,"  said  the  official,  "and  here 
he  is  likely  to  stay.  He  is  too  hard  a  man  to 
catch  to  be  turned  loose  in  a  hurry.  Do  you 
know  that  man  has  cost  the  government  millions 


Friends  on  the  Wall          363 

upon  millions  of  dollars?  Well,  it's  a  fact,  and 
it's  a  good  deal  easier  and  cheaper  to  feed  him 
here  than  to  have  to  run  him  down  again." 

"That's  right,"  I  assented.  "Give  him  time 
to  read  a  little  of  the  recent  history  of  his  coun 
try.  It  will  do  him  good." 

"He'd  much  rather  be  making  it  than  reading 
it.  But  I  haven't  time  to  bother  with  your  book 
now.  Leave  it  here  and  I  will  see  about  it.  Come 
back  to-morrow." 

"Well,  there's  one  for  that  bloodthirsty  col 
onel;  maybe  he  will  take  it.  If  they've  got  any 
money  I  might  as  well  have  some  of  it  as  any 
body  else." 

The  sub-warden  threw  the  books  on  the  desk 
at  which  sat  the  clerk,  and  repeated  the  state 
ment  that  I  should  return  on  the  next  day,  which 
closed  the  interview.  Grievously  disappointed 
at  this  additional  delay,  but  not  daring  to  be  too 
urgent  I  left  the  prison.  I  had  not  proceeded 
far  on  my  road  until  I  overtook  a  man  who  had 
been  walking  leisurely  ahead  of  me  as  if  he  too 
had  just  left  the  prison,  but  if  such  was  the  case 
he  had  escaped  my  observation.  As  I  was  in  the 
act  of  passing  him  he  spoke,  and  his  voice  made 
me  start  with  apprehension,  for  it  was  the  voice 
of  the  spy,  Vawter. 

"So  it  is  you  that  I  find  here,  Captain  Tren- 
ham,"  he  said.  "Now  go  a  little  slower  while  I 
pick  up  a  bit ;  walk  behind  me — they  can  see  us 


364  The  Legionaries 

yet  from  the  walls  if  they  look,  and  I  don't  want 
them  to  know  that  I'm  talking  to  you." 

Saying  this,  he  quickened  his  steps  and  went 
before  me,  while  I,  gathering  my  wits,  wondered 
what  he  was  about. 

"Give  it  up,  Captain,"  he  continued  without 
looking  around.  "I  don't  want  to  make  trouble 
for  you,  but  I  am  here  in  the  interest  of  the  gov 
ernment  to  look  for  stray  Morgan  men.  I  re 
lieved  another  agent  only  yesterday,  and  here  you 
stumble  upon  me — the  last  one  of  the  lot  that  I 
hoped  to  see.  You  have  got  something  going, 
and  if  you  don't  give  it  up  and  leave  this  very 
night  it  will  be  my  business  to  find  out  what  it 
is,  much  as  I  dislike  to  do  it." 

He  spoke  deliberately,  his  head  half  turned 
that  his  words  might  the  better  fall  back  to  me 
over  his  shoulder.  It  was  already  beginning  to 
grow  dark  both  from  the  hour  and  the  thickening 
clouds,  but  darker  still  at  this  moment  were  my 
thoughts.  Not  for  an  instant,  however,  did  I 
harbor  any  notion  of  abandoning  my  purpose. 
Presently,  being  out  of  view  of  the  prison,  he 
stopped  and  turned  around.  I  had  not  yet  spoken. 

"Well,  what  do  you  say?  Shall  we  have 
peace  or  war?  Strange  as  it  seems  to  me,  I  re 
member  that  I  owe  you  something  and  am  willing 
to  do  you  a  good  turn." 

"I  will  talk  it  over  with  you,"  said  I,  at  this, 
"but  we  can  not  do  it  here.  There's  a  place 


Friends  on  the  Wall          365 

a  little  way  off  where  we  can  come  to  terms. 
It's  the  house  of  a  crippled  friend,  who  is  not 
likely  to  be  at  home.  Do  you  agree?" 

He  looked  at  me  suspiciously.  "How  many 
more  of  your  friends  will  be  there?"  he  asked. 

"Not  a  soul." 

He  finally  assented,  though  not  without  hesita 
tion,  and  felt  about  his  person  as  if  to  make  sure 
that  his  weapons  were  in  place.  As  for  myself  I 
was  wholly  unarmed.  I  went  straight  to  the  little 
house  that  Neffitt  had  hired  for  his  own  use.  It 
was  dark  and  there  was  no  external  sign  of  occu 
pancy,  nor  was  my  knock  on  the  door  answered. 
Trying  the  door  it  yielded  and  I  went  in,  followed 
by  Vawter.  Striking  a  match,  I  found  and  lighted 
an  oil  lamp  that  was  standing  on  a  table  at  the 
side  of  the  room ;  upon  the  table  also  was  a  loose 
coil  of  small  cotton  rope.  Scattered  about  were 
two  or  three  wooden  chairs.  To  satisfy  my 
companion  that,  save  for  us,  the  house,  was 
empty,  I  took  up  the  lamp  and  together  we  went 
into  the  remaining  rooms.  In  one  was  a  cheap 
bed ;  in  the  other  a  small  stove ;  nothing  more  in 
either.  Returning  then  to  the  first  room  I  set 
down  the  lamp.  In  the  meantime  my  mind  had 
been  working  busily. 

"Mr.  Vawter,"  said  I,  "you  mean  well,  no 
doubt,  and  I  thank  you,  but  I  shall  stay." 

He  had  seated  himself  in  one  of  the  chairs  with 
one  elbow  resting  on  the  table,  the  hand  of  his 


366  The  Legionaries 

other  arm — the  right  one — in  his  overcoat  pocket. 
At  my  words  he  moved  uneasily  and  his  face  har 
dened  into  the  old,  wicked  sneer. 

"Then  I  must  take  you,"  he  returned  sharply, 
"and  I'll  do  it  before  any  other  person  comes. 
I  think  you  mean  to  trap  me  and  I'm  a  fool  not 
to  see  it.  Don't  resist  or  I'll  kill  you.  I  gave 
you  a  chance  and  we  are  quits." 

With  that  he  whipped  a  revolver  out  of  his 
pocket  and  leveled  it  upon  me,  but  not  less  quick 
was  I.  Springing  upon  him  I  seized  his  wrist 
before  he  could  use  the  weapon,  but  he  was  active 
and  strong,  and  then  began  a  fierce  struggle  for 
the  mastery.  My  foot  became  entangled  in  the 
chair  and  I  fell  to  the  floor,  taking  my  antagonist 
with  me.  Making  a  desperate  effort  I  succeeded 
in  pinning  him  down  under  the  very  edge  of  the 
table,  the  arm  holding  the  revolver  outstretched 
and  still  in  my  grasp  and  the  other  held  close  to  his 
side  by  my  knees.  With  my  free  hand  I  reached 
up  for  the  rope  and  got  a  coil  of  it  under  his 
head,  then  below  his  shoulders  and  drew  it  tight. 
Once  more,  a  little  further  down,  and  save  for  the 
weapon  he  was  at  my  mercy.  Gradually  work 
ing  my  fingers  outward  until  they  fell  upon  the 
pistol  I  tore  it  from  his  hand  and  flung  it  to  the 
far  side  of  the  room.  A  minute  more  and  he  was 
helpless  ;  then  I  bound  him  securely  and  propped 
him  against  the  wall.  Up  to  this  time  not  a 
word  had  been  uttered  by  either  of  us,  nor  did 


Friends  on  the  Wall          367 

either  have  much  breath  now ;  but  Vawter  was 
the  first  to  break  the  silence. 

"You  win  again,"  he  panted,  "and  do  it  fairly 
again,  too.  What  are  you  going  to  do  with 
me?" 

"Keep  you  close  for  a  few  days;  nothing 
more  if  you  give  me  your  word  not  to  connect 
me  with  this  business.  For  myself  I  do  not 
care,  but  there  are  others  to  be  considered." 

"Another,  you  mean,  eh,  Captain?" 

"Have  it  that  way  if  you  please;  what  do  you 
say?" 

He  looked  at  me  a  little  while  before  replying, 
and  seemed  to  be  considering  my  proposition. 
At  last  he  spoke:  "I  agree,  and  will  stick  to  it, 
though  five  months  ago  I  would  have  been  drawn 
and  quartered  first.  But  I've  got  over  that." 

At  this  point  we  were  interrupted  by  the  en 
trance  of  Neffitt,  who  looked  profoundly  aston 
ished  at  the  unexpected  scene.  For  a  moment 
his  eyes  rested  upon  Vawter,  then  he  turned  to 
me. 

"That's  the  feller,  Captain,  that  crossed  with  us 
at  Brandenburg — the  one  that  said  them  things." 

"Never  mind  that  now,  Neffttt,"  I  cautioned. 
"It's  all  past  and  gone,  and  we  have  other  things 
to  think  of.  Can  you  keep  this  man  here  a  few 
days?  He  must  not  be  harmed — not  in  the  least, 
you  understand;  just  kept  close  and  secure. 

Neffitt  consented,  reluctantly  I  thought,  for  he 


368  The  Legionaries 

was  the  kind  of  man  who  cherished  a  favor  or  a 
grudge  with  equal  intensity,  and  here  before  him 
was  one  who  had  played  a  scoundrel's  part,  to 
the  injury  and  distress  of  many  people.  After  sat 
isfying  myself  that  proper  arrangements  had  been 
made  as  to  the  disposition  of  our  enforced  guest, 
I  returned  to  my  own  lodgings. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE   ESCAPE 

THE  next  day  when  I  called  at  the  prison  in 
obedience  to  the  sub-warden's  command  it  was 
with  some  doubt  as  to  whether  I  would  be  suf 
fered  to  depart,  for  I  was  not  prepared  to  place 
entire  dependence  on  Vawter's  word.  But  it 
was  not  long  until  I  was  reassured.  The  officials, 
so  the  sub-warden  told  me,  had  hesitated  about 
allowing  the  prisoners  to  have  my  books,  but  on 
examining  them  had  finally  concluded  that  there 
was  no  good  reason  for  denying  them  the  privilege 
if  they  chose  to  exercise  it. 

As  a  result  only  one  of  the  books  was  returned 
to  me,  Colonel  Duke  angrily  refusing,  upon  re 
newed  inspection,  to  have  anything  to  do  with  the 
one  designed  for  him .  This  did  not  surprise  me ;  on 
the  other  hand  I  should  have  been  greatly  discon 
certed  if  it  had  been  retained,  and  even  hastened 
away  for  fear  that  at  the  last  moment  some  other 
person  about  the  place  might  offer  to  take  it. 

Once  more  in  my  room  and  secure  from  ob 
servation,  I  turned  again  to  the  chapter  headings 
in  the  table  of  contents.  There  was  no  mark  or 
24 — LEGIONARIES. 


370  The  Legionaries 

sign  until  I  came  to  Chapter  XV,  and  here  to  the 
right  of  the  numeral  V  was  a  puncture  made  with 
the  point  of  a  pin.  Turning  further  I  saw  a  sim 
ilar  puncture  to  the  right  of  and  another  above 
the  figure  I  marking  the  first  page  of  the  book. 
On  the  next  page,  to  the  right  of  the  figure  2,  was 
a  short  horizontal  scratch.  Above  the  figure  3  on 
the  following  page  was  a  like  scratch.  The  mes 
sage  was  therefore  in  the  fifth  chapter,  beginning 
on  the  third  line  of  the  second  page,  counting 
from  the  top,  and  continuing  on  each  succeeding 
third  line  until  finished.  The  letters  composing 
the  words  of  the  communication,  as  shown  by 
the  position  of  the  marks  at  figure  i,  were  those 
next  following  the  ones  above  which  the  indi 
cating  mark  would  be  found.  With  great  eager 
ness  I  spelled  out  the  seven  words  constituting 
the  message  which  told  me  that  on  Thanksgiving 
night  an  effort  for  freedom  would  be  made  and 
urged  that  attention  be  given  to  the  wall. 

The  morrow  was  the  day  of  prayer  and  feast. 
It  dawned  gray  and  dull  and  threatening,  and 
Neffitt's  hope  that  the  night  might  be  a  bad  one 
was  likely  to  be  fulfilled.  His  two  convivial 
friends  were  still  doing  wall  duty,  and  he  had,  at 
their  solicitation,  he  said,  grudgingly  promised  to 
put  it  in  their  way  to  show  an  appreciative  ob 
servance  of  the  occasion. 

To  me  that  short  day  was  seemingly  the  long 
est  on  the  calendar,  but  darkness  came  at  last  and 


The  Escape  371 

with  it  a  cold,  steady  rain  that  drove  everybody 
indoors  except  such  as  were  compelled  to  brave 
the  weather.  Near  nine  o'clock  I  set  out  for 
Neffitt's  house  and  reached  it  to  find  him  absent 
and  the  door  fastened.  Getting  under  the  shelter 
of  the  sorry  little  porch  built  over  the  front  door, 
I  stood  in  the  darkness  and  waited.  In  a  few 
minutes  Neffitt  came  and  admitted  me.  When 
a  light  was  made  I  saw  that  his  not  over-thick 
clothes  were  soaked  and  dripping,  and  that  he 
was  wet  to  the  skin.  His  face  was  blue  and 
pinched  with  the  chill  air  and  rain. 

"A  little  of  that  will  do  you  good,"  said  I, 
pointing  to  a  large  bottle  of  whisky  on  the  table. 

"I'd  like  it  well  enough,"  he  responded,  look 
ing  at  the  bottle  longingly.  "But  that's  for  them 
two  friends  of  mine.  They  just  h'isted  one  a  bit 
ago.  And  besides  we  wanter  keep  a  clear  head — 
it's  their  noggins  that's  to  get  muddled;  besides 
they  paid  for  the  whisky — likewise  for  them  things 
to  eat  in  that  basket.  I  swore  I  wouldn't  spend 
another  cent  for  'em — never  can  tell  when  a  feller 
is  goin'  to  get  'spicious.  They  gets  together  at 
midnight  and  has  a  supper  in  honor  of  the  day." 

With  a  complete  willingness  that  on  this  night 
they  should  eat  and  drink  to  their  heart's  con 
tent,  and  recognizing  Neffitt's  good  sense  in  re 
fusing  the  liquor,  I  looked  about  me  for  Vawter, 
and  found  him  in  the  middle  room  lying  on  the 
corporal's  bed,  to  which  he  was  securely  strapped. 


37 2  The  Legionaries 

A  neatly  contrived  gag,  used  by  Neffitt  only 
when  he  left  the  house,  he  explained,  was  in  the 
man's  mouth,  and  guaranteed  silence.  The  spy 
had  slept  in  the  bed  both  nights  since  he  had 
been  deprived  of  his  liberty,  while  his  keeper 
had  self-denyingly  lain  upon  the  hard,  bare  floor. 
I  say  lain,  for  I  doubt  if  he  allowed  himself  to 
sleep.  When  the  gag  was  removed,  Vawter 
offered  no  complaints  as  to  his  treatment,  and 
only  wanted  to  know  how  long  his  detention  was 
to  continue.  He  was  greatly  gratified  to  learn 
that  it  would  be  speedily  at  an  end. 

Eleven  o'clock  in  the  black  shadows  of  the 
outer  wall.  Surely  the  drenching,  wind-driven 
rain  falling  from  thick  clouds  adapted  the  night 
to  the  purposes  of  those  within  that  gloomy  pile 
of  stone.  I  had  taken  a  position  directly  oppo 
site  the  East  Hall,  and  flattening  my  back  against 
the  cold  wall,  which  afforded  me  some  protec 
tion,  waited.  Neffitt  had  gone  toward  the  shel 
ter  house  on  the  wall  to  the  left,  creeping  along 
like  a  shadow,  with  the  basket  containing  the 
midnight  feast  swinging  from  his  one  hand. 

It  was  horrible  weather,  and  yet  I  rejoiced  in 
it  and  even  wished  it  were  far  worse.  There 
was  no  way  to  judge  as  to  the  time;  I  could  only 
listen  and  wait.  It  might  be  minutes  or  it  might 
be  hours  that  I  must  stay  here,  but  stay  I  would. 
A  noise  on  the  top  of  the  wall  at  last !  Some 
one  was  walking  up  there,  but  cautiously,  and 


The  Escape  373 

carrying  a  lantern.  It  was  the  guard  on  the  right 
going  to  join  his  comrade  on  the  left  in  his  noct 
urnal  negligence  of  duty.  It  was  strange  that  they 
had  not  suspected  Neffitt,  and  there,  in  the  pour 
ing  rain,  I  gave  thought  to  the  corporal's  eminent 
qualities  as  a  strategist,  and  thought  also  of  the 
failure  of  Bellray. 

After  what  seemed  a  very  long  time  there  was 
another  noise  on  the  wall  to  my  right,  a  dull 
clanking  sound  as  of  metal  striking  upon  stone, 
quickly  followed  by  a  scratching  of  the  inner  sur 
face  of  the  wall  from  the  top  downward  as  if 
something  had  slipped  over  the  coping,  striking 
the  surface  as  it  descended.  A  distant  bell  was 
striking  midnight.  Neffitt  moved  up  to  me  out  of 
the  blackness. 

"They're  comin',"  he  said  at  my  ear  in  an 
eager,  tremulous  whisper. 

"Who?"  I  whispered  back  fiercely,  thinking  of 
the  guards  and  that  he  had  failed. 

"The  General — listen !  They're  tryin'  to  grap 
ple  the  coping." 

Again  came  the  clanking  noise,  but  this  time 
it  was  not  followed  by  the  sound  of  something 
falling.  Instead,  there  came  a  faint,  upward  touch 
ing  of  the  inside  of  the  wall  as  if  now  something 
was  ascending.  Then  there  was  a  slight  scrap 
ing  on  the  top.  Six  times  was  this  repeated, 
then  something  like  a  rope  dropped  down,  strik 
ing  me  as  it  fell,  for  I  had  changed  my  position 


374  The  Legionaries 

It  was  made  of  coverings  from  the  prison  beds, 
knotted  together,  and  up  there  at  the  other  end, 
grappling  the  top  of  the  wall,  was  the  iron  bar 
with  which  the  fire  had  been  stirred  in  the  corri 
dor  stove,  now  bent  into  a  hook. 

Looking  upward,  I  saw  between  my  eyes  and 
the  gray  of  the  sky  a  darker  object  like  a  man's 
head  protruding  over  the  coping.  Through  my 
hands  I  spoke  my  name,  and  instantly  a  man 
came  sliding  down  the  rope.  It  was  Captain 
Hines.  Hardly  was  he  on  the  ground  before 
another  stood  beside  him.  This  was  the  General 
himself. 

"Come,"  said  I;  "Neffitt  will  look  after  the 
others." 

"So  the  other  one  is  your  corporal,  is  it? 
Brave  soul,"  said  the  General. 

Without  saying  more  he  sought  about  until  he 
got  the  corporal's  one  poor  hand  in  both  of  his 
own  in  a  thankful  grasp  that  repaid  the  poor 
fellow  for  all  his  toil.  Then  away,  while  the  oth 
ers  in  silence  were  reaching  the  ground.  Straight 
we  went  to  the  railroad  station,  and  boldly  Hines, 
the  ever  daring,  procured  tickets  from  the  sleepy 
agent  as  though  he  were  the  most  innocent  of 
travelers,  while  the  General  and  I  stood  alone 
outside  in  the  shelter  of  the  widely  projecting 
eaves  of  the  roof,  I  listening  to  expressions  of  his 
gratitude  of  which  my  feeble  efforts  were  wholly 
unworthy. 


The  Escape  375 

Thank  God  that  a  train  was  due  in  a  few  min 
utes,  and  thank  God  that  it  came  and  started 
when  it  was  due  to  start !  When  we  had  entered 
the  lighted  car  I  saw  that  both  men  were  bleached 
by  the  four  months  of  imprisonment — four  months 
to  the  very  day.  They  wore  citizens'  clothes  and 
now  bore  little  resemblance  to  the  bronzed  men 
in  gray  who  had  so  desperately  ridden  the  north 
ern  highways  under  the  July  sun.  On  the  train 
was  a  Federal  officer  in  uniform,  with  whom  Gen 
eral  Morgan  engaged  in  conversation  by  tender 
ing  the  use  of  his  flask  just  as  the  train  passed 
near  the  walls  of  the  prison  which  he  had  so  re 
cently  left. 

"That,"  said  the  officer  as  he  accepted  the 
offered  refreshment,  "is  the  hotel  at  which  Mor 
gan  stops,  I  believe." 

"Yes,"  responded  the  General,  taking  the  re 
turned  flask  and  holding  it  before  him,  "and  will 
stop  it  is  to  be  hoped.  He  has  given  us  his  fair 
share  of  trouble,  and  he  will  not  be  released.  I 
will  drink  to  him:  'May  he  ever  be  as  closely 
kept  as  he  is  now.' ' 

And  so  all  went  pleasantly. 

In  due  time  we  came  to  a  suburb  of  Cincinnati. 
The  rain  had  ceased.  Captain  Hines  rose  and 
reached  for  the  bell  cord,  giving  it  a  warning  jerk. 
The  train  slowed  down  in  obedience  to  the  unof 
ficial  signal  and  we  quickly  got  off,  we  three,  and 
hastened  toward  the  river,  the  wide  Ohio,  that 


376  The  Legionaries 

had  suffered  us  to  cross  its  bosom  only  that  we 
might  be  overwhelmed  beyond.  We  reached  it  in 
the  first  feeble  light  of  the  morning,  and  found  a 
stout  lad  already  upon  its  margin  bailing  over 
night  rain  out  of  a  staunch  little  skiff.  A  liberal 
reward  induced  him  to  accept  two  passengers  for 
the  Kentucky  side;  then  hand  clasps  and  "God 
bless  you's"  and  they  were  swept  out  into  the 
mist.  I  stood  there  and  watched  them  as  they 
went.  Where  now  were  the  patrolling  war-boats? 
Where  the  swarming  foes,  the  dozen  generals? 
And  where,  alas,  the  three  thousand?  I  stood 
and  watched  with  strained  eyes  until  they  disap 
peared  in  the  fog  that  turned  the  opposite  shore 
into  a  dim  gray  line.  Good-bye,  brave,  indom 
itable  soul ;  and  farewell ! 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE   RETURN    OF    REASON 

PROCEEDING  into  the  city  I  breakfasted  and 
upon  again  going  into  the  street  heard  newsboys 
crying  aloud  about  the  escape  of  Morgan,  and 
there  was  great  excitement  and  commotion.  How 
many  were  there  in  that  more  than  one  hundred 
thousand  who  rejoiced  with  me?  Not  many, 
surely.  I  rested  quietly  during  the  day  and  that 
evening  took  boat  down  the  river,  again  a  stranger 
among  strangers. 

Early  the  next  morning,  on  awakening  and  look 
ing  out,  I  saw  that  we  were  tied  up  at  Louisville, 
where  we  had  been  since  midnight.  On  the 
wharf  was  the  man  Tapper  who,  more  than  a 
year  before,  had  so  artfully  concealed  his  recog 
nition  of  my  name  as  that  of  a  possible  conspira 
tor,  and  so  dutifully  and  immediately  reported  me 
to  his  chief.  I  did  not  appear  on  deck  until  the 
boat  was  again  in  midstream. 

At  nine  o'clock  we  were  opposite  Brandenburg 

but  did  not  mean  to  stop.  There  were  the  heights 

from  which  our  cannon  had  thundered  so  defiantly ; 

over  there  was  the  Indiana  shore  on  which  we  had 

(377) 


378  The  Legionaries 

landed,  and  far  beyond,  past  the  now  gray  hills, 
the  little  valley  to  which  my  troubled  thoughts 
had  turned. 

After  a  little  while  there  came  into  view,  slum 
bering  on  the  margin  of  the  river,  the  signal  land 
ing  that  Captain  Bracken  had  been  so  anxious  to 
reach  in  time  for  the  packet.  And  far  up  was  the 
break  in  the  bluff  where  the  horse-buyer  had 
come  to  his  end  and  I  almost  to  mine,  and  where, 
down  beneath  the  roots  of  the  leafless  trees,  was 
the  vast  chamber  with  the  reminding  evidence  of 
a  lost  race. 

Presently  came  Leavenworth,  and  then  the 
drive  overland,  bearing  north  of  east,  in  a  hired 
conveyance  that  jolted  and  shook,  up  hill  and 
down,  through  the  wet,  clinging  clay  of  the  road. 
Over  there  was  the  entrance  to  the  great  cavern 
where  I  had  parted  from  the  wounded  spy.  And 
here,  as  the  sun  dropped  low,  was  the  road  by 
the  side  of  which  I  went  to  sleep  in  weariness, 
there  was  the  very  rock  against  which  I  leaned, 
and  here  was  where  Captain  Sivad's  men  fought 
the  Federals.  Further  along  was  the  cross-roads 
where  the  neighborhood  Unionists  had  rejoiced 
over  my  General's  downfall  and  humiliated  poor 
Bellray. 

I  could  not  tell  why  I  had  chosen  the  route  by 
which  I  had  returned,  and  which  called  forth 
so  many  disagreeable  recollections.  But  it  was 
ended  at  last  and  I  was  at  home,  stiff,  sore  and 


The  Return  of  Reason        379 

mud-splashed,  but  rejoicing  in  the  knowledge  that 
one  undertaking  had  prospered  if  many 'had 
failed.  What  mattered  it  now  by  what  way  I 
had  come  since  it  brought  me  to  the  dear,  pa 
tient  mother  and  to  that  other  one  waiting  over 
there  beyond? 

The  next  morning  I  walked  over  to  Bellray's. 
In  the  few  weeks  of  my  absence  he  had  greatly 
changed  for  the  worse.  He  was  more  distrait 
and  moody,  and  his  movements,  once  so  active 
and  determined,  were  now  dull  and  heavy  and  his 
mental  powers  much  diminished.  The  symptoms 
portended  collapse  and  gave  great  anxiety  to 
Kate  and  the  few  friends  who  were  yet  openly 
faithful.  Dr.  White  urged  that  he  be  taken  to  a 
specialist  for  an  operation,  and  named  an  eminent 
surgeon  in  New  York,  in  which  city  he  had  re 
ceived  a  part  of  his  own  education.  This  step 
had  already  been  agreed  upon  before  my  arrival, 
and  thither  in  December  he  was  taken,  accom 
panied  by  the  doctor  and  Kate. 

Word  came  to  me  in  time,  in  a  joyful  note  from 
the  latter,  that  science  had  triumphed  and  that 
Roger's  mind  was  restored.  This  letter  was  fol 
lowed  by  another  written  a  few  days  afterward, 
in  which  she  said  Roger  had  spoken  to  her  of  his 
purpose  to  return  to  Indiana  as  soon  as  he  was 
strong  enough  to  be  released  from  the  hospital, 
and  hinted  at  vengeance  against  his  enemies. 
She  was  alone  with  him  in  the  great  city,  Dr. 


380  The  Legionaries 

White  having  returned  home,  and  she  was  doing 
her  best  to  dissuade  him.  She  had  confided  to 
the  surgeon  something  of  his  history  and  sur 
roundings,  and  he  had  recommended  a  trip 
abroad  in  order  that  Roger  might  be  removed 
from  excitements  until  at  least  he  was  able  to 
bear  them.  About  the  middle  of  March  she 
wrote  in  great  distress : 

"Roger  will  leave  the  hospital  in  a  week,  and 
is  determined  to  'go  back  and  fight  it  out,'  he 
says.  -  On  this  subject  he  becomes  very  violent, 
though  as  gentle  as  a  child  toward  me  always. 
The  surgeon  commands  the  trip,  but  Roger  says 
that  he  does  not  need  it,  and  that  he  has  other 
things  to  do.  Whatever  these  other  things  are, 
he  must  not  do  them.  Oh,  if  you  were  only 
here!  He  would  listen  to  you.  Can't  you  come 
and  help  me  save  him  from  the  desperate  under 
takings  on  which  I  know  he  is  resolved?  He 
grows  more  and  more  furious  every  day,  and  ve 
hemently  denounces  so  many  people.  He  does 
not  seem  like  the  same  man  that  he  used  to  be. 
If  he  goes  back  there  will  .be  a  tragedy  which 
will  engulf  him  and  add  to  the  misery  of  us  all. 
Can  you  come  speedily?" 

This  appeal  decided  me.  The  terms  of  my 
parole  bound  me  not  to  take  up  arms  again  until 
exchanged,  and  the  suspension  of  the  cartel  left 
little  hope  of  that.  I  regretted  this  less  since  the 
destruction  of  my  General's  forces,  but  my  indif 
ference  I  now  admitted  to  myself,  was  largely  be 
cause  of  my  mother's  open  opposition,  and  Kate's 


The  Return  of  Reason        38 1 

unexpressed  but  well  understood  wishes.  And 
then,  being  removed  from  the  scene  of  the  struggle, 
I  saw  the  hopelessness  of  it,  and  knew  that  its  con 
tinuance  only  meant  a  prolongation  of  misery  and 
blood-letting  and  an  increase  of  bitterness.  The 
result  was  certain ;  the  fabric  of  the  Confederacy 
was  raveling  and  fast  becoming  ragged.  Its  re 
sources  were  not  adequate  to  the  demand  for  re 
pairs.  The  North  seemed  as  yet  barely  scathed, 
and  had  men  and  means  and  credit  to  meet  any 
emergency  that  might  arise. 

All  these  things  were  clear  to  me  at  last.  Only 
a  little  more  hammering  and  a  little  closer  draw 
ing  of  the  lines  of  blue  and  then  the  inevitable 
crash.  If  I  were  there  it  would  only  be  one  more 
beneath  the  wreck.  It  was  long  indeed  before  I 
could  bring  myself  to  these  views  and  make  up 
my  mind  that  I  was  no  longer  to  be  a  participant 
in  the  battles  still  being  bravely  waged  by  my 
people.  Alas!  What  sacrifices  they  made  and 
what  sufferings  they  endured  to  continue  the 
struggle  for  a  separation  that  would  have  wrought, 
as  I  now  believe,  the  ruin  of  our  country. 

The  day  after  receiving  Kate's  last  letter  I 
started  for  New  York.  It  would  not  do  at  all 
to  allow  Roger  Bellray  to  return  to  Indiana  if 
it  could  be  prevented,  and  on  my  own  part 
a  sense  of  alienation  that  I  could  not  overcome 
made  me  restless.  Therefore  I  welcomed  the 
opportunity  as  furnishing  an  excuse  for  my  de- 


382  The  Legionaries 

parture.  My  mother,  prudent  woman  that  she 
was,  had  kept  her  matters  so  well  in  hand  that 
there  was  n*o  present  difficulty  about  means.  And 
so  I  had  planned  with  her  that  if  things  went  ac 
cording  to  my  mind  she  should  join  me  later  in 
New  York,  or  wherever  else  I  might  determine  to 
take  up  a  temporary  residence.  To  this  arrange 
ment  she  readily  agreed  when  she  clearly  under 
stood  its  purpose,  and  had  considered  that  I  would 
thereby  be  the  sooner  reconciled  to  my  enforced 
retirement  from  the  service. 

I  reached  the  metropolis  the  day  before  the 
time  appointed  for  Roger  to  leave  the  hospital. 
Kate  was  living  in  the  family  of  the  surgeon  who 
had  undertaken  her  brother's  cure.  There  I 
found  her  that  evening,  well,  indeed,  and  more 
beautiful  in  my  eyes  than  she  had  ever  been — 
which  is  saying  much — but  torn  by  anxieties.  I 
had  not  written  of  my  coming,  knowing  that  a 
letter  would  travel  no  faster  than  I,  nor  had  I  used 
the  telegraph.  So  until  she  saw  me  she  had  no 
knowledge  that  I  was  on  my  way  to  join  her. 
She  rushed  into  my  arms  with  a  surprised  cry, 
and  between  smiles  and  tears  asserted  that  she 
had  been  on  the  verge  of  despair. 

"If  you  had  not  come  Roger  would  certainly 
have  started  home  to-morrow,"  she  said  tremb 
lingly,  after  awhile.  "We  must  not  let  him  go; 
he  is  now  so  extreme  and  bitter.  He  will  gather 
his  friends  and  will  stop  at  nothing  short  of  vio- 


The  Return  of  Reason        383 

lence,  for  he  considers  that  his  last  rights  as  a  cit 
izen  have  been  taken  away." 

I  gave  her  such  comforting  words  as  came  to 
me,  but  seriously  doubted  my  ability  to  change 
her  brother's  resolution,  and  yet  I  must  try. 
When  I  had  left  her  and  returned  to  my  hotel  I 
remained  long  awake  thinking  about  the  best  way 
to  reach  him.  No  ordinary  arguments  or  appeals 
would  answer,  for  he  was  a  very  obdurate  man 
and  felt  that  he  had  been  deeply  wronged.  At 
last  I  went  to  sleep  believing  that  I  had  found  a 
pleasant  solution  of  the  problem. 

Early  the  next  morning,  in  company  with  Kate, 
I  went  to  see  Roger.  He  was  in  his  room  at  the 
hospital  and  had  his  belongings  packed  ready  to 
leave.  When  we  entered  he  was  reading  a  news 
paper  but  threw  it  aside  and  got  up  to  receive  us, 
expressing  agreeable  surprise  at  seeing  me.  He 
looked  strong  and  his  eyes  were  clear  and  keen 
as  of  old — keener,  in  truth,  as  though  a  fresh  fire 
flamed  in  their  depths.  Almost  at  once  he  began 
to  make  eager  inquiries  as  to  the  situation  in 
Indiana.  As  I  did  not  wish  him  to  become 
aroused  until  I  had  spoken  of  the  matter  that 
was  on  my  mind,  I  led  him  away  from  the  scene 
of  his  grievances  and  back  to  ourselves. 

"Mr.  Bellray,"  I  began,  "I  want  to  say  some 
thing  about  myself — ourselves ;  something  I  have 
come  a  thousand  miles  to  say.  A  part  of  it  you 
already  know." 


384  The  Legionaries 

"Kate  has  told  me  all  about  you,  John.  At 
any  rate  she  has  told  me  a  good  deal.  You  had 
a  pretty  tough  time  of  it,  didn't  you?" 

"Did  she  tell  you  all?"  I  asked,  looking  from 
him  to  Kate,  who  flushed  at  the  emphasis  I  placed 
on  the  last  word. 

'  'Not — not  everything,  John, ' '  she  said  quietly, 
as  she  smoothed  out  her  gloves  on  her  knee. 

"It  is  as  I  suspected — she  has  omitted  the  most 
important  thing.  She  has  promised  to  marry  me. 
And  look  here;  we  intend  to  go  abroad  on  our 
wedding  journey  and  you  are  going  with  us." 

Kate  opened  wide  her  eyes  at  the  unfolding  of 
a  plan  about  which  she  had  not  been  consulted. 
Though  taken  by  surprise  she  was  quick  enough 
to  see  my  purpose  and  to  second  it  by  a  look  of 
affectionate  entreaty.  Roger's  face  clouded  and 
he  was  about  to  speak,  but  I  went  on : 

"No  use  growling,  Bellray;  we've  got  it  all 
arranged.  If  you  go  back  to  Indiana  in  your 
present  frame  of  mind  you  will  be  killed.  That 
probability  will  not  keep  you  away,  of  course,  but 
you  will  be  likely  to  kill  somebody  else  first,  and 
you  don't  want  to  do  that,  I  know.  They  are 
bitter  about  finding  the  arms  in  your  house  and 
only  let  you  off  because  of  your  cracked  head. 
Now  that  it's  sound  again  some  of  them  will  try 
to  give  it  another  thump.  It's  no  use;  the  game 
is  not  worth  the  playing.  I  will  send  for  my 
mother  and  we  will  make  a  little  family  party  and 


The  Return  of  Reason        385 

see  the  world.  This  thing  will  soon  be  ended  over 
here  and  we  can  come  back  and  settle  down.  Now, 
honestly,  isn't  this  the  best  thing  to  do?  They 
will  not  let  me  fight  any  more  and  you — you — ' ' 

I  stumbled  here,  not  knowing  how  he  would 
take  from  me  what  was  on  my  tongue. 

"Speak  it  out,  John;  and  /  won't;  that's  what 
you  were  about  to  say.  No  harm  in  the  truth." 

"Well,  then,  and  you  won't,  so  what  is  there 
for  us  to  do  ?  Certainly  we  ought  not  to  go  back 
there  and  amuse  ourselves  quarreling  and  fighting 
with  our  neighbors." 

"The  sum  of  it  all  is,"  he  said  with  twinkling 
eyes  that  dulled  the  sting  of  his  words,  "you 
think  I  will  be  better  off  gallivanting  about  the 
world  with  a  pair  of  young  fools  on  a  honey 
moon.  Well,  I  will  think  about  it." 

And  then  he  began  to  talk  of  something  else, 
and  presently  we  all  went  down  and  Roger  set 
about  taking  his  leave  of  those  in  the  institution 
whose  friendship  he  had  acquired  during  his  stay. 
At  last  when  we  had  entered  the  carriage  that  was 
waiting  for  us  and  were  being  whirled  away  he 
turned  to  his  sister  and  said : 

"Kate,  it  looks  like  running  away,  but  I  think 
we  had  better  obey  the  Captain." 


THE    END 


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